The Hindu : New Delhi News : A U-turn by St. Stephen’s College authorities

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A U-turn by St. Stephen’s College authorities

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: After throwing its weight behind the officiating Principal Valson Thampu, the Supreme Council of Delhi University’s St. Stephen’s College has now decided to initiate the process for selection of a regular Principal for the institution.

The Council, which is the all-important decision-making body of the college, met on Thursday and took the decision to start the process afresh. An advertisement in this regard has already been issued.Only on Wednesday the Council had issued a statement saying that it stood by the appointment of Valson Thampu as Officer on Special Duty to administer the college as officiating Principal. “The order issued by the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions will be studied and appropriate legal measures initiated to protect the minority rights of the college,” Council Chairman Sunil Kumar Singh had said.

The Council’s move comes hot on the heels of a judgment by NCMEI on a petition which alleged that appointments of Principal Valson Thampu, Vice-Principal M. S. Frank and Bursar N. Raghunathan were illegal.

The NCMEI in its order earlier this week had declared the appointment of Mr. Thampu as Officer on Special Duty “patently illegal” and “inoperative”. It had also recommended that the University take “urgent corrective measures” for selection of a regular Principal for the college and maintained that Mr. Thampu’s appointment could not be “justified under the cloak of minority’s autonomy”.

Though St. Stephen’s media adviser Vinod Chowdhury said on Friday that Mr. Thampu might apply afresh now for the post of the Principal, Mr. Thampu himself refused to shed any light on it. “I may or may not apply depending on how disposed I am. While making up my mind, my prime concern and consideration will be what is best for the college,” said Mr. Thampu.The process for selecting the new Principal will be over before Mr. Thampu’s tenure ends on May 21, said Prof. Chowdhury.

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