Act on GU court poll rigging charges: Guv tells education dept

The governor of Gujarat has asked the principal secretary of education department to take necessary action in the matter of deliberate lapses and malpractices allegedly committed by the vice chancellor of Gujarat University. It should be recalled that Jashwant Thakkar, former GU court member, had written a letter to the governor charging GU VC Parimal Trivedi with malpractice during the by-election of Gujarat University senate. Thakkar had lost the election this time.

Thakkar had alleged that Trivedi wanted to ensure the victory of his 'own' candidate at any cost. He said the VC had replaced bogus votes in favour of his candidate with 152 votes received by him. Moreover, Thakkar alleged, the VC also refused demands to conduct the counting in presence of the court, match the votes with identity cards and destroyed all the proof in senate hall.

He accused the VC of misusing the university machinery and staff. Thakkar had also accused Saurabh Choksi, principal of JG Commerce college where the polling had taken place, of helping Trivedi in this malpractices.

Thakkar said that professors, senate members and syndicate members, who were witness to the 'wrongdoings' of Trivedi, showed willingness to file an affidavit in this matter. Thakkar had urged the governor to set up a high-powered committee to probe the charges.