Kerala HC permits vice chancellors of eight state universities to continue for now

The Kerala High Court on October 24 ruled that vice-chancellors of eight universities, whose resignations have been sought by Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, can continue in their respective positions for now.

"They are eligible to continue in their respective positions," news agency PTI quoted the court as saying said during a special sitting.

The court's order came after a bench led by Justice Devan Ramachandran heard an urgent plea filed by the eight vice-chancellors, who were given an ultimatum by the Governor to resign by 11:30 am on October 24.

The court noted that since the chancellor has given time till November 3 to the vice-chancellors to show cause as to why they should not be ousted, the communication seeking their resignation lost its importance.

The court noted that the action against the VCs can be taken only after following due procedure.

The counsel representing the VCs told the court that the entire action of the chancellor asking to resign within 24 hours was illegal.

Armed with a recent Supreme Court order quashing the appointment of the vice-chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University in Palakkad for being contrary to University Grants Commission regulations, Khan on October 23 sought resignations of the VCs of nine varsities. The Raj Bhavan had said that Khan, as chancellor of universities in the state, also issued directions for the resignations to reach him by 11.30 am.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the Governor was forgetting the basic principles of rule of law, and was showing unnatural haste and misusing the position of chancellor. "...the position of chancellor was being misused to exercise a power that does not exist," he said.

Vijayan pointed out that the Supreme Court order on KTU Vice Chancellor was based on a procedural issue and did not say anything about his academic qualification. "Even in that, there is still an opportunity to file a review petition. However, the chancellor is using this judgment to destabilise the entire university administrations in the state," he added.

With PTI inputs