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Kerala governor serves show-cause notices to 2 more VCs

By, Thiruvananthapuram
Oct 26, 2022 12:19 AM IST

Kerala governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Tuesday issued notices to VCs of two more universities, asking what legal right they have to hold the office, after the Supreme Court recently quashed the appointment of V-C of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University for being contrary to UGC norms.

Kerala governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Tuesday issued notices to vice-chancellors (VCs) of two more universities, asking what legal right they have to hold the office, after the Supreme Court recently quashed the appointment of V-C of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University for being contrary to University Grants Commission (UGC) norms.

Kerala governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Tuesday issued notices to VCs of two more universities, asking what legal right they have to hold the office. (PTI)
Kerala governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Tuesday issued notices to VCs of two more universities, asking what legal right they have to hold the office. (PTI)

The governor, as chancellor of state universities, on Monday had issued similar notices to V-Cs of nine varsities and had sought their responses by November 3, after they failed to send their resignations by 11.30am, as sought by him on Sunday.

Issuing the notices to Digital University Kerala V-C Saji Gopinath and Sreenarayanaguru Open University V-C Mubarak Pasha on Tuesday, the governor sought their responses by November 4, according to a communiqué from Raj Bhavan.

Both the V-Cs refused to comment on the matter.

The Supreme Court on Friday had quashed the appointment of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University V-C Dr Rajasree M S, saying that as per UGC norms, the search committee constituted by the state should have recommended a panel of not less than three suitable people among eminent people in the field of engineering or science to the chancellor but, instead, it sent only one name.

“In view of the above two binding decisions of this court, any appointment as a Vice Chancellor made on the recommendation of the Search Committee, which is constituted contrary to the provisions of the UGC regulations shall be void ab initio,” the court’s judgment said.

Citing the top court order, Khan on Sunday had sought the resignation of V-Cs 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 Technical University, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, University of Calicut and Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University by 11.30am on Monday.

While several V-Cs of the concerned varsities refused to comment on the governor’s directive, Kannur University V-C Gopinath Raveendran said he will not step down from his post. “I will not resign. I will reply to the notice of the chancellor. I doubt there are some other interests behind this move,” he said.

The government reportedly advised the V-Cs not to tender their resignations, according to people familiar with the matter.

After the V-Cs did not submit their resignations on Monday, the governor issued them show cause notices, seeking an explanation by November 3 on why they should not be removed.

The Kerala high court, meanwhile, allowed the nine V-Cs to hold their office, saying they can be removed only after following due procedure.

“Till such time as the Chancellor issues a final order against any of the petitioners, the petitioners remain as vice chancellors, subject to the law,” Justice Devan Ramachandran, who heard the urgent plea filed by the V-Cs, said in the order.

Since the chancellor has given time till November 3 to the V-Cs to respond to the show cause, the communication seeking their resignation lost its importance, the court noted.

The governor’s move against the V-Cs is likely to worsen his relationship with the state government, keeping in mind both parties have been locked in a standoff over various issues for quite some time.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday had issued a stern warning to Khan, asking him not to cross the limits of his powers. He termed as “unusual” the move by the governor and accused him of “waging war” with an intention to “destroy” the universities in the state.

“If the governor found the appointment of V-Cs illegal, he is responsible for this. He only signed their letters. Let the governor think who should quit first, he or the V-Cs. He cannot abuse his position like this,” Vijayan said in Palakkad on Monday.

“Khan will have to face stiff resistance if he continues such activities aimed at weakening the government,” he added.

Hitting back, the governor said he was pressurised to sign the appointment papers and that he had pointed out lapses in their appointments several times.

“I told the chief minister several times about it and even sent a letter to him in December, pointing out the dipping standard of the higher education sector and politicisation of the campus. Several varsities were reduced to recruiting ground party cadres,” Khan said, adding the top court’s verdict was “an opportunity to correct all wrongs”.

Khan also said that “by asking the V-Cs to resign, he was only suggesting an honourable exit for them”. He said he will examine each V-C’s response in detail and was willing to listen to what they have to say.

Meanwhile, Left student activists and trade unions held protests against Khan at several places and burnt his effigies on Tuesday.

The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) has also announced a series of protests against the governor and a big rally outside Raj Bhavan on November 15.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has extended its support to the governor. “We will not allow the government to single out and attack him. Nepotism and politicisation, higher education sector in the state is in doldrums,” party state president K Surendran said.

The opposition Congress appeared to be divided.

While opposition leader V D Satheesan welcomed the governor’s move, Congress MP and senior leader K Muraleedharan MP said: “The governor is not a king. We will not accept his move to saffronise the education sector.”

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