The political imbroglio in the state has put a spanner in the CNLU convocation scheduled for February 14.

The Chanakya National Law University (CNLU) administration, as part of protocol, had invited chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and JDU leader Nitish Kumar to the event.

The leaders, at loggerheads with each other, are yet to give their consent to attend the function.

The state's lone national law university was set up in the tenure of former chief minister Nitish Kumar.

According to CNLU sources, Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu would be the chief guest, while the administration had invited Manjhi as the guest of honour.

In the first convocation of CNLU held on February 2013, former Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir had been the chief guest while then chief minister Nitish Kumar had attended the function.

A senior faculty member of CNLU said: 'It has been observed that whenever any national universities hold convocations and the function is attended by the President, the vice-president, the Prime Minister or the CJI, it is expected that the chief minister too attends it as part of a state protocol.

However, with the present constitutional crisis in the state, Manjhi is unlikely to attend.'

The teacher's statement assumes importance, as during the IIT-Patna and Central University of Bihar convocation in 2013, the function was attended by President Pranab Mukherjee, vice-president Hamid Ansari and then chief minister Nitish.

The CNLU administration, apart from inviting Manjhi and Nitish, has also invited education minister Brishen Patel and former education minister P.K. Shahi. Both Patel and Shahi had given verbal assurance of attending the meet. The university administration, however, is yet to get a written confirmation from these two leaders.

However, the CNLU administration claimed that absence of either of these leaders would not affect the function. CNLU registrar S.P. Singh said: 'It is expected that the chief minister attends the function but it is not binding, as apart from Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu, chief justice of Patna High Court L. Narasimha Reddy would attend the function.'

Students will also be awarded based on their academic excellence.

In the second annual convocation of CNLU, around 137 law graduates who have passed BA LLB (Hons) in 2013 and 2014, and 10 LLD and PhD students would get their degrees from Justice Dattu.

Medals such as Rameshwari Devi Gold Medal for topper in BA (LLB) and Founder Vice-Chancellor A Lakshminath Medal for best student in BA LLB would be given out. The PK Shahi Medal for topper in constitutional law will also be awarded.