The Vice-Chancellors of nine universities in Kerala, who were directed by the state Governor Arif Mohammed Khan to tender their resignations by 11.30 am today, October 24, have now challenged the Governor's diktat in the Kerala High Court.
According to a report by ANI, the Kerala High Court will conduct a special session today, at 4.00 pm to consider the petitions of the nine Vice-Chancellors. The session will be heard by a single-judge bench of the court, comprising Justice Devan Ramachandran.
It was yesterday, Sunday, October 23, that the Raj Bhavan of Kerala ordered the Vice-Chancellors of University of Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi University, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kannur University, APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, University of Calicut and Thunachath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University to tender their resignations. As per reports, the Governor issued the order after the Supreme Court cancelled the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University on grounds that it violated the regulations of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
"Upholding the verdict of Hon'ble Supreme Court in Civil Appeal Nos 7634-7635 of 2022(@SLP(c)Nos 21108-21109 of 2021), Hon'ble Governor Shri Arif Mohammed Khan has directed Vice Chancellors of 9 varsities in Kerala to tender resignation," said the Raj Bhavan in a tweet. The order by the Supreme Court noted that as per Section 13(4) of the University Act, 2015, the Search Committee for the VC shall recommend unanimously a panel of not less than three suitable persons from amongst the eminent persons in the field of engineering sciences, which shall be placed before the Visitor/Chancellor, who is required to select the VC from amongst the names recommended. Therefore, when only one name was recommended and the panel of names was not recommended, the Chancellor had no option to consider the names of the other candidates, the top court observed.
Meanwhile, Kannur University Vice-Chancellor Gopinath Ravindran on Monday said that he will not tender his resignation. "I have received the decision of Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan but I will not submit my resignation. The resignation of the VC is based either on financial irregularities or bad behaviour and neither of these has happened here. This is a fake accusation," said Kannur University Vice-Chancellor said.
The issue has snowballed into a political tussle, as the ruling Left Democratic Party in the state is mulling stripping the Governor of his powers as the Chancellor of universities. On the other hand, before he issued the order, Governor Khan said, "Supreme Court has made it clear appointment of Vice Chancellor is the only responsibility of the Chancellor. The state government has no role in it."
Protests have been planned against the move at the district level, in front of educational institutions and university centres and in front of the Raj Bhavan on November 15. The state's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday, October 24, lashed out at the Governor and alleged that Khan's move was an encroachment on the powers of a democratically-elected government and the universities that are supposed to be academically independent.
According to a report by PTI, Vijayan said it was an unusual move and accused him of "waging war" with an intention to "destroy" the universities in the state. "It was the Governor who appointed the VCs of these nine universities and if these appointments were made illegally, then the primary responsibility lies with the Governor himself," the Chief Minister said, adding that the chancellor has no authority to seek their resignations.
