Mumbai: The Supreme Court on Friday expressed strong displeasure after learning that Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar had yet to even examine a report submitted by former Supreme Court judge Sudhanshu Dhulia on the long-pending appointment of regular vice chancellors to two state-run universities.
The Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan said a document prepared by a retired judge of the apex court could not be dismissed as routine paperwork, especially when the Governor himself is Chancellor of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and the University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology.
During the hearing, the court pressed the Governor’s counsel on why the report, forwarded by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, had not been reviewed. Senior advocate Jaideep Gupta, appearing for the state, said the Governor had taken no steps despite receiving the committee’s findings.
This prompted Justice Pardiwala to pointedly ask why the Chancellor had “not even looked at the report”.
The dispute is the latest flashpoint in a prolonged stand-off between the Kerala government and the Raj Bhavan over filling key academic posts.
In August, noting a breakdown in the usual appointment process, the Supreme Court had appointed Justice Dhulia to head a search-cum-selection committee and directed that shortlisted candidates first go to the Chief Minister, who would then forward names in order of preference to the Chancellor.
