New Delhi: Students of the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS) have written a letter to Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud, who is the Chancellor of the varsity, demanding suspension of NUJS Vice-Chancellor N.K. Chakrabarti, who is at present facing sexual harassment allegations from a woman faculty member at the institution.

The letter written by the student association of NUJS comes days before the meeting of the varsity’s executive council (EC) on May 28, where the extension of Chakrabarti’s tenure as the V-C is to be decided.

Last week, the Calcutta High Court had directed a local committee (LC) to re-examine the sexual harassment charges against the V-C. Earlier, the committee constituted under The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 had rejected the complaint on grounds of limitation, saying that the complaint was not filed within a period of six months from the incident of sexual harassment.

The letter written by the student association on May 26 condemns “deliberate attempts by the Vice Chancellor to circumvent the appropriate legal procedure by abusing his position of power.”

The letter adds that the alleged actions constitute blatant patriarchal exploitation and an attempt to undermine the faculty member's respect and dignity at her workplace.

“The alleged incidents between December 2023 and April 2023 related to her detrimental treatment in the workplace pursuant to the alleged acts of sexual harassment. The LC did not consider the April 2023 actions as “sexual harassment”, and the Petitioner was not allowed to be heard at the Executive Council (‘EC’) meeting dated 21.12.2023, even as procedurally it could not have decided on merits at that stage,” says the letter written by the student association.

“An arbitrary dismissal of the Complainant’s claims not only taints the principles that NUJS has historically espoused but also creates an unsafe institutional atmosphere and trust deficit for students, particularly victim-survivors of harassment.”

The letter, signed by president and vice-president of the Student Juridical Association of NUJS, accuses V-C Chakrabarti of violating the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences Staff Ethics and Code of Conduct (‘MCC’), saying that he "endeavoured to abuse the power vested in him."

“It is evident that the Vice Chancellor’s actions in circumventing established procedures to quash the complaint against him, refusing to recuse from a committee meeting addressing the allegations against him, and making appointments without EC approval is a blatant violation of the MCC which cannot be sustained,” says the letter, a copy of which is with The Wire.

In its letter to the CJI, the student association has made five demands including – immediate steps to ensure the complainant doesn’t face further victimisation or hostility, immediate suspension of the V-C and barring him from taking part in any duties/responsibilities till his acquittal, restraining the V-C from influencing the course of any proceedings instituted against him, dismissal of a fact finding committee created by the V-C against the complainant and denial of extension to the V-C.

“We also wish to relay our pain and disappointment with our institution for failing (the complainant) so tremendously. We humbly pray to your Hon'ble Lordship to take note of the allegations of sexual harassment and institutional marginalisation and our just demands, which attempt to salvage not only the institutional reputation of NUJS but also the idea of a safe space for all students, victim-survivors and those from vulnerable communities in our university,” says the letter.

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