Before elections, the governor of Bengal commissions an investigation into campus misconduct.

On Friday, West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose ordered a judicial inquiry to look into allegations of violence, corruption, and mismanagement of university campuses prior to the elections, intensifying the dispute between his administration and that of Mamata Banerjee.

The governor, who serves as the ex-officio chancellor of all state-funded universities, said that a retired High Court or Supreme Court judge will lead the investigation.

“The governor and chancellor ordered a judicial investigation into the violence, corruption, and exploitation of West Bengali university campuses for political and electioneering activities. The governor released a statement that stated, “A one-man commission led by a retired judge of the Hon. Supreme Court/High Court will oversee the investigation.”

Governor Bose “directed” the Mamata Banerjee government to dismiss state education minister Bratya Basu from her cabinet on Thursday, reportedly for having a political meeting and breaking the Model Code of Conduct, just 24 hours before he ordered the judicial inquiry.

In response to the “directive,” Education Minister Basu quickly questioned if the governor had the right to request that the state government fire him on personal X account.

Bose also objected on Thursday to a statement that Basu had written in which he called Bose “insane.” The governor responded, claiming that Basu’s remark was an attempt to “spoil” their relationship with Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister.

Since March 30, there has been simmering tension between the state government and the governor regarding a convention organized by the West Bengal College and University Teachers’ Association (WBCUPA), a recently established organization of teachers at state-aided universities in Bengal that is affiliated with the Trinamul Congress.

On March 3, Governor Bose harshly criticized the state administration for its attempt “to control the universities in West Bengal” in a “report card” he released on state universities.

In response to inquiries from the state government about his involvement in the management of state-aided universities, he provided a number of court rulings.

On Thursday night, the state government released a statement refuting the accusations made by the governor in his “report card,” in which the government claimed that the chancellor had usurped the state government’s authority over the management of the institutions.

By violating the authority granted to him by various statutes and assuming powers that are plainly and unquestionably not addressed, the Hon’ble Governor has attempted, in his capacity as Chancellor, to usurp and undermine the authority of the State Government and the operation of State-aided Universities through the Report Card, with the sole goal of operating the State Aided Universities in a way that is appropriate for him alone, with scant regard to the applicable law and the governing statutes,” the statement issued by the state government on Thursday evening said.

The governor removed Rajat Kishore Dey from his position as acting vice-chancellor of Gour Banga University the following day after the minister of education took part in the WBCUPA convention, which was held on the university’s campus on March 30.

In the best interests of the students and the university as a whole, Dey is permitted to continue exercising and carrying out the responsibilities of the acting vice-chancellor, according to an order sent by the education department to Gour Banga University on April 1.