The vice chancellors (VCs) of nine state universities were to resign immediately, but Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has softened his position. Khan on Tuesday extended the deadline until November 3 and declared himself open to hearing from the VCs, thereby accepting the High Court’s ruling and enabling them to continue for the time being.
The vice chancellor of Kerala University, V P Mahadevan Pillai, will step down on Monday, and Dr. K Mohanan, VC of the Kerala University of Health Sciences, has been assigned the extra duty for the time being.
On Monday, eight out of the nine vice chairs filed a petition with the High Court asking the governor to revoke his order requiring their immediate resignation.
The Raj Bhavan stated that after carefully studying each VC’s statement, additional action would be taken. The notification requests a compelling justification for defying the Supreme Court’s order to remove the VCs.
According to a Supreme Court ruling, any VC selection procedures that are in violation of University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations shall be null and void from the beginning (having no legal effect from inception). The governor said that by requesting the resignation of the VCs, he was merely offering them a dignified way out.
The CPM and the state government, meanwhile, have warned the VCs against caving in to the governor.
Only three days after leaving for Delhi, Khan would make his way back to the Raj Bhavan.
Post Your Comments