The Board of Governors of the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), a premier academic institution in the city, is said to have favoured a Lokayukta probe into alleged financial and administrative irregularities at the institute.
The board, at the annual general meeting (AGM) held here on Thursday, rejected a proposal to constitute a fact-finding committee to look into charges of financial and administrative irregularities against ISEC director Binay Kumar Pattnaik, a faculty member told The Hindu .
T.N. Bhat of ISEC had filed a complaint against the director before the Lokayukta. Mr. Pattnaik dismissed the allegations as “unfounded” and having “no authenticity.” G. Thimmaiah, chairman of the board, mooted the proposal to constitute a two-member fact-finding committee to probe the charges. But the former Chief Secretary A. Ravindra, who is a member of the board, is said to have opposed the proposal stating that the complaint had already been lodged with the Lokayukta and it was up to that body to look into charges, the member said.
The board also took exception to the “impolite” language used by the director in his reply to charges made by Prof. Bhat.
Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, who is also the president of ISEC Society, presided over the AGM.
The director the presented the annual report of the institute at the AGM, sources said.