Nim Dorji  | Trongsa

The legal representative Royal University of Bhutan and Taktse College requested the Trongsa court to dismiss the case in which nine lectures and supporting staff accused the college and RUB of failing to follow due process and asked to reinstate them.

The legal representative submitted his justifications on January 30.

Taktse College compulsorily retired these employees in May last year for alleged breach of teachers code of conduct.

The legal representative submitted that the college couldn’t follow due process as the lecturers had breached the teachers’ code of conduct which was considered a severe misconduct.

He said that there was not much time for the college and university to act.

“The case first surfaced in May and the students had their examinations in June, the decision had to be made urgently as delaying it would disturb the students during the exam,” the prosecutor said.

There was also a possibility of the lecturers harassing and pressurising the students to change the views.

The prosecutor submitted that the welfare, and safeguarding the students was the responsibility of the college and RUB.

If the investigation was prolonged, there was a risk for the involved girls to suffer mental health issues, which may even lead to suicide.

He also submitted that to call the students and lecturers together for the investigation was not a convenient method in any ways.

He said that an immediate decision was taken as the management had gathered enough evidence against the lecturers for their misconduct. “So whether the principle of natural justice was followed or not, it was convinced that the outcomes for doing misconduct won’t change.”

He submitted that the lecturers’ claims for compensation and reinstatement were baseless.

“We never mentioned anyone’s name in the media,” the prosecutor said, refuting claims of defamation. He submitted that in the media the names of the lecturers were never revealed.

The management as per chapter 15 section 11 and chapter 14 section 3.9 and 2.5 of the human resource rules immediate action was taken against them.

As per section 140 of the Penal Code of Bhutan, joinder of parties, all 10 former lecturers together filed a case against the college and RUB.

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