Ramakrishna Vivekananda Mission And ANR v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

WPA 27548 of 2023 Ramakrishna Vivekananda Mission & Anr.

Vs.

The State of West Bengal & Ors.

Mr. Vivekananda Bose, Mr. Ratikanta Pal ...for the Petitioners Mr. Supriya Chattopadhyay, Ms. Tapati Samanta, Mr. Arindam Ghosh ...for the State 03-01-2024 AKG Ct. 238 Petitioner no. 1 is a society, which intends to establish a private university.

It has been submitted by Mr. Vivekananda Bose, learned advocate appearing for the petitioner that the society has complied with all necessary formalities to establish the university in terms of the "West Bengal Government's Policy and Guidelines for setting up Private Universities" as envisaged by Memo No. 142-Edn (U)/1U95/12 dated 31st January, 2023. Mr. Bose alleges that despite taking all necessary steps by the petitioners, the State is sitting tight over the matter.

Mr. Arindam Ghosh, learned advocate appearing on behalf of the State submits that an enquiry committee in terms of the aforesaid guidelines was set up and on the recommendation of the enquiry committee, the State is going to issue a 'Letter of Intent' to the petitioners asking them to comply with such terms and conditions as may be specified to set up the university.

Mr. Bose submits that the petitioners shall take all the necessary steps and file a compliance report as expeditiously as possible, if the 'Letter of Intent' is issued in favour of the petitioners.

In the aforesaid factual context, nothing remains to be decided in this writ petition. Accordingly, I dispose of this writ petition with a direction upon the State to issue the 'Letter of Intent' to the petitioner within seven days from date.

Needless to mention that the petitioner will be at liberty to file its compliance report in response to the said 'Letter of Intent' in terms of the "West Bengal Government's Policy and Guidelines for setting up Private Universities".

It is desirable that the procedures to set up the university shall be completed as expeditiously as possible.

With the aforesaid observations, WPA 27548 of 2023 is disposed of.

Urgent Photostat certified copy of this order, if applied for, be supplied to the parties upon compliance with the requisite formalities.

(Kausik Chanda, J.)