In order to remove Governor Arif Mohammad Khan from his position as chancellor of all state-run universities, the Keralan administration has planned to introduce an ordinance.
The decision was made on Wednesday during the Cabinet meeting that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan presided over. The government also intends to appoint a professional from the field of education to the position of Chancellor.
VC received show-cause notices
Vice chancellors of 11 institutions received show-cause notices from Arif Mohammad Khan, Chancellor of Universities, which they have challenged in court, arguing that the notices are invalid and unconstitutional.
The letters demanded an explanation from the VCs as to why they should be permitted to keep their positions given that their appointments were invalid according to a recent Supreme Court decision.
On Tuesday, the Kerala High Court ordered Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, who also serves as Chancellor of the state's universities, to refrain from taking any further action against the vice chancellors who have been served with show-cause notices until the matter has been heard by the court.
Kerala high court externsion to reply to show cause notice
The high court had on November 3 extended till November 7 the time for VCs to respond to show-cause notices sent to them by Khan. The notices sought to know from the VCs as to why they should be allowed to continue in their posts, as their appointments were illegal as per a recent Supreme Court ruling.
On October 21, the top court quashed the appointment of the VC of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, saying that as per the University Grants Commission (UGC), the search committee constituted by the state should have recommended a panel of not less than three suitable people in the field of engineering science to the Chancellor but, instead it sent only one name.
Based on that, Khan called for the resignations of VCs whose names were the only ones recommended for appointment and also those who were selected by a committee of which the Chief Secretary of the State was a member, terming both as a violation of UGC regulations.
