The Karnataka government, in a major decision, has now appointed the Chief Minister (CM) Siddaramaiah as the Chancellor of the Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University, instead of the governor, reported NDTV.

The decision to transfer the power was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by the CM.

HK Patil, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, informed the media that the Karnataka Cabinet has approved an amendment to the Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University Act. 

The key change is that the chief minister will now serve as the chancellor of the university, replacing the governor, who was previously designated for this role.

The minister further stated why these decisions were taken
The decision to make the CM the chancellor was made to ensure increased creativity, faster decision-making, and better management of universities, which are directly related to the administration, rural welfare, and development.

The government aims to improve the management of these institutions on the academic front and bring changes to its governance, informed the minister.

All powers vested with the governor will now be transferred to the CM. Patil further stated that while this decision applies to this specific university, other universities follow different laws and would require separate discussions on appointing the CM as the chancellor.