SEVEN months after Registrar DR Bains was relieved from his administrative functions at the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) on setting up of an enquiry committee to probe gender discrimination charges against him, the school has restored the functions to the official.
The decision came in an Executive Council meeting last week, sources said.
While the Enquiry Committee is yet to submit its report, the school has also decided to institute a one-man enquiry committee led by a retired IAS officer for “fair and unbiased” investigation into the matter.
“Our chairman asked the director for more time for carrying out the probe. Now, we will hand over all the data compiled in the matter to the new committee,” Professor PK Sarkar, member, Enquiry Committee said.
In February this year, the SPA had removed Bains from his administrative functions acting on a report by the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) indicting him for “gender discrimination at the workplace”.
The report prepared by DCW after a seven-month investigation directed the institute to probe the charges against Bains.
Prof Priyaleen Singh, then Head of the school’s Archives Department, had complained to the DCW in May 2006 alleging gender discrimination in payment of dues and interference in her work, among other things.
However, the sudden decision of the Executive Council has disappointed faculty members. “The committee is yet to submit its report and the school administration wants to appoint a new enquiry committee. The committee that has been probing the matter for the last six months should have been given more time. Also, it had many members which could ensure more fairness than a one-man panel,” a professor said.