Supreme Court to establish panel for vetting candidates for Kerala University Vice-Chancellor's position amid ongoing dispute between Governor and State government
The Supreme Court has taken up a case involving a standoff between the Kerala Governor and the State government over the appointments of Vice-Chancellors for the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) and Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology (UDSIT).
The current status of the case is as follows:
Supreme Court Ruling
The Court has ruled that the Kerala Governor, acting as Chancellor, can appoint temporary Vice-Chancellors until permanent appointments are made. The decision emphasizes the need to avoid politicizing education and prioritize student interests.
Search-cum-Selection Committee
Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia has been appointed as the Chairperson of a Search-cum-Selection Committee to resolve the deadlock. This committee will shortlist candidates for the regular Vice-Chancellor positions at both universities. It will consist of five members, including two nominees each from the Chancellor and the State, with Justice Dhulia having the discretion to form either separate or common committees for the two universities.
Appointment Process
The Kerala Education Department has been directed to issue an advertisement inviting applications for the Vice-Chancellor post, with a four-week application window. The applications will be scrutinized and placed before Justice Dhulia. The committee is tasked with preparing a panel of at least three names for each university.
Ongoing Dispute
The dispute centres around the Governor's unilateral appointments of interim Vice-Chancellors without State Government recommendations, which were invalidated by the High Court. The Supreme Court has stepped in to ensure a cooperative resolution, emphasizing the need to expedite permanent appointments while adhering to legal frameworks.
Legal Framework
The Court has upheld the six-month cap for interim Vice-Chancellors under the University Act, stating that appointments cannot continue beyond this period without violating the law.
The case, known as "The Chancellor, APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University vs. State of Kerala and Ors.", is likely to be taken up again tomorrow after the State and the Governor come up with their respective lists of suggested names for the search committee. The Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan is handling the case.
Both parties have expressed concerns about the legality of the Governor's actions and the potential undermining of the federal structure by excluding the State's role in appointments. The Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Governor, submitted that the appointment was in compliance with the Supreme Court's earlier directions, while Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta, appearing for Kerala government, argued that the State had followed the statutory process by constituting a search committee to recommend names for a regular Vice-Chancellor.
The matter is being closely monitored to ensure a prompt and fair resolution, with the Court encouraging cooperation between the parties.
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