Calcutta, Oct. 21 :    Calcutta, Oct. 21:  A decision by the Calcutta University authorities to hire benches and desks from a local decorator for a hefty sum to conduct an examination has drawn flak from the auditor and a section of employees. In an unprecedented move, the university authorities spent Rs 4 lakh for hiring seating apparatus from a local decorator for conducting a part of the current year's under-graduate law exams. The matter has come under the CU auditor's scanner, following complaints from a section of the staff that the authorities had 'misused the amount'. They said the classrooms where the examinations were held were 'fully furnished with adequate chairs and tables'. Alleging an 'unfair deal' between a section of the officials and the decorator, the employees said in their complaint that the furniture was 'unnecessarily' hired from the decorator as he was a 'sympathiser of the ruling party'. The auditor has sought an explanation from the university's office of the controller of examinations, seeking details of the expenditure and a clarification on what prompted the hiring of the furniture. Employees have also lodged a complaint with Hiron Kumar Banerjee, the university's pro vice-chancellor, finance and business, demanding an inquiry into the matter. 'Our auditor is looking into the matter and his report is expected to be ready after the Pujas. Appropriate action will be taken, if any irregularity is detected,' said Banerjee. He said it was the first time that the university decided to change the venues of the law examinations and conduct some of the papers only on the Alipore and Hazra Law College campuses. 'We had no option but to hire chairs and tables, as we had to accommodate so many students on these two campuses,' Banerjee said. Till last year, L.lB examinations were held at the university's four affiliated law colleges in the city. According to Banerjee, the university had to stop holding the examinations at these four colleges to check incidents of 'cheating' by candidates. The employees are determined to take up the matter with the state government if the authorities fail to take action against the 'culprits'.