The Delhi High Court asked the state government to allow money for payment of salaries in four colleges of the university. The court gave this judgment on November 4 and asked to provide money till November 9. Hence, four colleges received the sanctioned amount of Rs 21 crore.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodiya claimed that a special audit had revealed misuse of funds on November 6. However, the grants have been sanctioned. Additionally, the court also ordered the state government to not demand colleges to pay salaries from the Students Welfare Fund.
As per a sanction letter issued on Monday, the Delhi Government declared the release of Rs. 19.4 crore for salaries. The other head received Rs 1.7 for general expenses. Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, Dr BR Ambedkar College, Bhagini Nivedita College, and Aditi Mahavidyalaya received the allotted funds.
While Aditi Mahavidyalaya received Rs 12.5 lakh and Rs 6.5 crores under the two heads. Shaheed Sukhdev College obtained Rs 90 lakh and Rs 5.2 crore respectively.
However. BR Ambedkar College got only Rs 43.7 lakh for expenses and none for the salaries.
The problem of insufficient funds
Sujit Kumar, an associate professor from the college said, “I am sure this is grounds for initiation of contempt proceedings against Delhi government.” The chairperson of the DU Principal’ Association, Jaswinder Singh said the members would discuss whether the funds “are adequate or not”. DUTA claimed that the grants allocated earlier had always proved inadequate to cover dues.
Issue of using Students’ Welfare Fund
The court has rejected the state government to use the Students’ Welfare Fund for paying salaries of 12 state government-funded (fully) colleges. Delhi University Students Union had also challenged the same order of the Delhi government issued on October 16.
The Delhi Government stressed the court to vacate the order staying the payment of salaries from the Students Fund. However, Justice Jyoti Singh said the order will continue till the next court hearing.
Despite this, the Delhi Government officials maintained that the special audits in the colleges revealed financial violations.
