In the wake of a favourable Kerala High Court order, Kannur University, Kerala is all set to move ahead with the appointment of Priya Varghese, wife of KK Ragesh, private secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, as an associate professor in the Malayalam department. The decision to appoint Priya was taken following legal advice from IV Pramod, standing counsel, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express.
As per the standing counsel, the stay imposed by Governor Arif Mohammed Khan in connection with the appointment, would not stand in the wake of the division bench's verdict. Governor, in his capacity as the chancellor of the university, can intervene only when something illegal takes place in the varsity. As of now, the high court has clearly stated that there is nothing illegal regarding the qualification of Priya Varghese.
Further, it is learnt that the standing counsel has given the advice that the chancellor should be informed about the procedures in connection with the appointment. It was on August 17, 2022, that the governor stayed the appointment of Priya Varghese following allegations of nepotism.
Although the governor has not lifted the stay order yet, it would not stand legally as high court has declared that there is nothing illegal in the selection. Following this, it is expected that the university would initiate steps in the coming days to complete the procedures in connection with the appointment of Priya Varghese, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express.
