St Stephen’s forms team to find trouble-shooter judge

Thursday’s governing body meeting was stormy,opening another chapter of acrimony between Principal Valson Thampu and Bishop Sunil Kumar Singh of the Church of North India,who is also the chairman of St Stephen’s College’s Supreme Council and governing body. They were to appoint a bursar who looks into the college’s financial affairs. But five hours of deliberations saw both clinging to their respective nominees.

In the last governing body meet on November 17,the Bishop had put an end to a 128-year-old practice in the college by which a principal would always be appointed as the treasurer. The treasurer had an important say in the appointment of the bursar,teachers said.

Bishop Singh,however,appointed his nominee and former Environment secretary Nirmal Andrews as the college treasurer.

The Bishop’s move invited criticism from faculty members,who said he was trying to hand over the college’s financial affairs to an ‘outsider’. The teachers protested this outside the Bishop’s 1,Church Lane home where Thursday’s meeting took place.

The University has also taken umbrage to the new treasurer’s appointment. A letter written by Deputy Registrar (Colleges) Deepak Vats to the University’s representative in the St Stephen’s governing body B P Sahu threatens not to recognise the new bursar (who was to be appointed on Thursday),teachers said.

The letter says: “It may be clarified to the Governing Body that any appointment of Bursar in violation of the provision of the Ordinance of the University shall not be recognised by the University.”

Meanwhile,another thorny issue was partially resolved in the Delhi High Court on Thursday when it gave permission to Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi to attend Thursday’s governing body meet.

Principal Thampu sent Quraishi to the governing body by terminating the membership of Ajay P Singha,Singha has alleged.

A Division Bench,led by Justice Pradeep Nandrajog,criticised Principal Thampu for terminating the membership of Ajay P Singha,to bring Quraishi in.

Setting aside a single judge’s order on Wednesday,restraining Quraishi from attending Thursday’s meeting,the court said its order would only be applicable to the meeting held on December 3. It further fixed the case for hearing on December 16.

Thampu nominated Quraishi in place of Singha for the

college’s apex body in July this year. But Singha challenged his termination in the High Court,saying he was moved illegally before he could complete his three-year tenure.