Kerala Guv sends show cause notices to VCs amid varsity row

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Monday issued notices to the Vice Chancellors of the state universities concerned to show cause by 5 pm on or before November 3 on their legal right to continue in office.

This comes after the VCs of nine universities moved the High Court challenging the Governor's order to tender their resignations. The Raj Bhavan had earlier sent letters directing the VCs of nine universities to tender their resignation by 11:30 am on October 24.

"Notices issued to the Vice Chancellors concerned to show cause by 5 pm on or before Nov 3rd, their legal right to continue in office as Vice Chancellors and not to declare their appointment illegal and void ab initio: PRO, Kerala Raj Bhavan," tweeted the Kerala Governor.

"For the purpose of removing the anomaly in appointment of Vice Chancellors in University of Kerala, the Hon'ble Chancellor has asked you to submit resignation to initiate steps for making proper appointment in accordance with the law. Since you have refused to tender your resignation as directed by the Hon'ble Chancellor, there is no option but to declare your appointment as illegal and void ab initio," a letter attached to the tweet said.

Addressing a press conference, the Governor referred to the alleged heckling during an event hosted by Kannur University in December 2019.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Monday said that he had called the VC of Kannur University a "criminal" to "facilitate an attack" on him.

"I called (Kannur) VC criminal. I will say sorry if you find me a substitute word. What other word should I use for a person who invites me to Kannur to facilitate an attack on me? Vice-Chancellor of Kannur University, after the Kannur incident, wrote back to Raj Bhavan that I'm (VC) not a security expert, so can't give a report," Khan said.

He said that the VC violated the approved programme and guidelines.

"You invite me there, violate the approved programme, and violate every guideline. When you are asked to send the report of what happened there, you send this reply. Only a conspirator can do that. Who else can do it?" he said.

The Governor alleged that the political secretary of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was seen in the audience during his programme two years back at the university where he was "inciting" them to raise slogans.

"The political secretary of the Chief Minister, who was supposed to be on the stage, was there in the audience inciting them to raise slogans. I could have used even stronger language because they indulged in unlawful activities," he said.

"How many judgements has the court issued in which it has said that I have exceeded my power in recent days? Who else exceeds his power if not a criminal?" Khan added.

This comes after 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 on Monday.

This comes after the Supreme Court set aside the appointment of MS Rajasree as Vice-Chancellor of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.A bench of justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar allowed the appeal filed by Professor Sreejith P.S. challenging the Kerala High Court order dated August 2, 2021.

The court noted that even as per Section 13(4) of the University Act, 2015, the Committee 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.

As per the UGC Regulations also, the Visitor/Chancellor shall appoint the Vice Chancellor out of the panel of names recommended by the Search Committee. 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.

At a recent event, Governor Khan while pointing out the issue of the VC appointment to various universities in Kerala said the Supreme Court itself had earlier made it clear that the appointment of the vice-chancellors was the responsibility of the Governor.

"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," he said.

( With inputs from ANI )