The Consortium of National Law Universities has resolved to divest NLSIU Vice-Chancellor Prof Sudhir Krishnaswamy of the post of Secretary-Treasure of the Consortium in the wake of the fallout arising out of National Law School of India University’s (NLSIU) decision to hold its own entrance test this year.
It has also been resolved that the Secretariat of the NLU Consortium will be shifted from NLSIU Bangalore to National Academy of Legal Studies and Research, (NALSAR). Vice-Chancellor of NALSAR, Prof Faizan Mustafa will discharge the administrative and secretarial functions of the Consortium in the interim. NLU Odisha Vice-Chancellor Prof SKD Rao shall discharge the financial functions of the Treasurer of the CLAT Consortium.
Prof Mustafa will immediately take over the control of the NLU Consortium website.
The decisions were taken at a meeting held yesterday “not only to clarify the position to thousands of CLAT 2020 aspirants, but also to ensure smooth functioning of the Consortium”.
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The Consortium has stated that the view expressed by Prof Krishnaswamy during a recent interview with Bar & Bench that other universities of the Consortium were also feeling hard pressed by the delay in conducting CLAT 2020 was “purely his personal opinion”. A release issued by the Consortium states,
“Except NLSIU, Bangalore, no other Law University is going to hold its test independently as was erroneously reported in the social media. The interview of Professor Sudhir Krishnaswami, Hon’ble Vice- Chancellor, NLSIU, Bangalore, to Bar and Bench was purely his personal opinion. No other member University is neither feeling hard pressed in the Consortium nor has any plans of conducting its own independent admission test for 2020.”
The Consortium further resolved that the actions of the NLSIU Vice-Chancellor are in derogation of its by-laws and objectives. In this light, the Consortium has. decided to divest Prof Krishnaswamy of his duties as Secretary-Treasurer.
“Since the Vice Chancellor, NLSIU is the Secretary- Treasurer of the Consortium, in the light of the clear conflict of interest between these the functions of the Consortium and his decision to hold independent test for NLSIU, the Consortium unanimously resolved to divest him of his functions as the Secretary-Treasurer of the Consortium with immediate effect. He is advised not to discharge these functions and not speak for the Consortium in any manner nor represent the Consortium in any proceeding till further decision in this matter is taken by the Governing Body.”
Special meetings of the Executive Council and the General Body of the NLU Consortium shall be held on Tuesday, September 8, “to consider the necessary amendments in the Bye-Laws and MoU to address such eventualities”.
The Consortium has further resolved that the date set for the conduct of CLAT 2020 – September 28 – will be strictly adhered to.
Read the Press Release here:
