Patna: Students of Chanakya National Law University (CNLU) on Friday staged a silent protest against the appointment of Ishwara Bhat as the new vice-chancellor of the varsity.

On the recommendations of a search committee, the chancellor of the university, who is also the Chief Justice of Patna High Court, Justice Rajendra Menon, appointed Bhat as the VC of the university. Bhat is yet to resume office as the term of the present VC, A. Lakshminath expires on March 18.

Students staged a protest outside the varsity main administrative building stating that Bhat has a tainted background and his appointment will bring bad name to the university. Bhat is presently the VC of West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata.

A third-year student of CNLU staging the agitation said: "We have come to know that the new VC has a tainted past. Bhat has faced two no-confidence petitions against him by the NUJS student body."

They said students of WBNUJS were against the VC for his alleged charges of financial embezzlement, curbing student liberties, declining quality in faculty and lack of transparency in administrative work.

Echoing the views of the students, a fourth-year student said: "The search committee should have gone through the background of Bhat as his appointment will bring bad name for the varsity."

Sources said though the student bodies of NUJS were against Bhat, he got a five-year extension on September 2016.

CNLU registrar S.P. Singh said: "The committee is probing charges against Bhat. Also, if the charges are proven he should not be appointed. But before the committee report comes out it is unfair to raise allegations against him. Bhat is highly qualified and is serving WBNUJS for two-terms."

Unlike state universities where a search committee goes through the applications of candidates applying for the VC's post, at CNLU the search panel invites nominations from reputable persons or institutions in the field of law for the VC's post.