Kerala University: High Court prevents Governor from appointing new members to senate

On October 21, the Kerala High Court stopped Governor Arif Mohammed Khan from appointing new members to the senate of the Kerala University in place of 15 Senate members who were removed by him in his capacity as the chancellor of the universities, as stated in a report by PTI. 

The ousted senate members challenged this decision in the high court and considering this, the high court sought an explanation from the Raj Bhavan and directed it to produce all documents related to the matter. The court will consider the matter again on October 31.

In a plea by the ousted senate members, they sought to quash the notification issued by the Governor, as the chancellor of universities in the state, contending that it was an illegal order. It was on October 15, the Governor sent a letter to the VC of the university to remove 15 Senate members with immediate effect. However, there were no steps taken on this. 

The gazette notification had said that by a letter dated October 15, 2022, the order of the Chancellor withdrawing his pleasure, with effect from that day, in allowing the Senate members to continue was communicated. "Now, therefore, in pursuance to this, the Chancellor is also pleased to notify the withdrawal of the above Senate members nominated as per the above provisions with effect from October 15, 2022," the notification read. 

Why the move to oust senate members now?
Sources from Raj Bhavan said, after his repeated directions to hold a senate meeting and to provide a nominee of the Senate for the selection committee went unheeded, the Governor had ordered the removal. The selection committee was to appoint a Vice-Chancellor, the sources had said.