The Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala on Thursday, November 10, amended the rules of Kerala Kalamandalam deemed university to remove the Governor as its Chancellor, a position which will now be filled with an eminent person from the field of Art and Culture. PTI reported that the amended rules of the deemed university also state that the governance system and management structure of the Kerala Kalamandalam shall be in accordance with the decision of the state government.
Suiting action to its words that it no longer wants Governor Arif Mohammed Khan at the helm of universities in the state, the dispensation, headed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, issued an order amending the rules and regulations of the deemed university of Art and Culture, reported PTI. The move comes amidst the government's ongoing tussle with Khan over the functioning of universities, including the appointment of Vice-Chancellors, in the state and its announcement that it will come out with an ordinance to replace him with eminent academicians at the helm of varsities in Kerala.
Late last month, the Governor ordered the dismissal of VCs of nine state universities, stating that their appointment was illegal. He had then asked them to issue a show-cause notice regarding their appointment. This came after the Supreme Court directed that the appointment of the VC of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University was illegal as it did not comply with the norms of the University Grants Commission requiring the selection of the VC amidst three to five recommendations from a search-cum-selection panel.
