Mumbai University spends Rs 7.44 lakh on senate poll: RTI

The Mumbai University (MU) spent Rs 7.44 lakh on the election of ten registered graduate candidates to the senate body held in March this year, an RTI query has revealed.

A total of 57 registered graduate candidates had contested the election for the Senate, the principal authority for all financial estimates, budgetary appropriations and for providing social feedback to the MU on current and future academic programmes.

As per the response given by the MU to the query filed by activist Anil Galgali, a big chunk of the total expenditure at Rs 5.65 lakh was spent on "hospitality, travelling and issuing advertisements".

The activist claimed that the MU took nine months to reply to his query, which he had submitted in March.

He had sought details of all expenses incurred in the Senate committee election.

MU deputy Vice Chancellor and Public Information Officer (PIO) Rajendra Ambawade stated that the total expenditure of Rs 7,44,449 was incurred towards conducting the election.

"Out of this total expenditure, the maximum amount of Rs 3.22 lakh was spent on travelling (of officials) while Rs 2.42 lakh on advertisements. Amounts of Rs 69.900 and Rs 68,810 were spent on hospitality and software, respectively, while training and vote counting of the election cost Rs 3,330", he stated.

Questionning the "long" delay on part of the MU in replying to his query, Galgali demanded that details of such information be put on the MU website, to ensure transparency.