Visva-Bharati asks Amartya Sen to vacate 'excess' land by May 6

Visva-Bharati University has issued a final eviction notice to Nobel Laureate economist Amartya Sen asking him to vacate by May 6, the "disputed" 13 decimals of land within the varsity campus in West Bengal's Birbhum district.

The notice, which surfaced on Thursday morning, has been issued under Public Premises (Eviction and Unauthorized Occupants) Act, 1971. Sen is currently in the US.

This fresh notice from the university authorities was issued despite an executive magistrate at Bolpur, on April 13, ordering police intervention to maintain peace in the area.

According to sources, the order from the executive magistrate was given following a petition filed by the counsel of the Nobel Laureate economist expressing apprehension of breach of law and order over the probable eviction drive by the university authorities against Sen over that disputed portion of land.

In the order, the executive magistrate directed the officer-in-charge of Santiniketan Police Station to maintain peace and tranquility in the area until the disposal of the instant case.

Notably, the dispute is over just 13 decimals of land. It started when the vice-chancellor of Visva-Bharati University, Bidyut Chakraborty started accusing Sen of illegally occupying 1.38 acres of land which is in excess of his legal entitlement of 1.25 acres.

However, the Nobel laureate refuted the allegation claiming the original 1.25 acres was gifted to his grandfather Late Kshitimohan Sen who was the second vice-chancellor of Visva-Bharati University.

Later, Sen's father Late Asutosh Sen, who was also a professor with the same university, purchased the remaining 13 decimals of land, which is at the centre of the dispute.

The West Bengal government has recently transferred leasehold rights of the entire 1.38 acres of land to Sen to thwart any eviction attempt by the university authorities.