Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, who sought resignations of vice-chancellors (VCs) of nine universities in the state on Sunday, issued notices to the VCs, asking them to justify their legal right to continue in office after they refused to comply with his directive.
They have been asked to submit their reply by November 3.
"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," a tweet from Raj Bhavan read.
The letter from the governor to VCs read:
“In view of the judgment of Hon’ ble Supreme Court, and accepting the dictum of the judgment, it is prima facie found that your appointment as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Kerala is contrary to the UGC Regulations and as such is bad in law/illegal and void ab initio.
For the purpose of removing the anomaly in the appointment of Vice Chancellor in University of Kerala, the Hon’ble Chancellor has asked you to submit your 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.
The Hon’ble Chancellor, University of Kerala, therefore, requires you to show cause your legal right to hold the Office of the Vice Chancellor, University of Kerala. and not to declare your appointment as illegal and void ab initio, on or before 03.11.2022 by5 pm, failing which it will be presumed that you have nothing to offer in reply.”
The apex court had quashed the appointment of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University Vice Chancellor Dr Rajasree M.S., saying that as per the University Grants Commission, the search committee constituted by the state should have recommended a panel of not less than three suitable persons among eminent people in the field of engineering science to the chancellor but instead it sent only one name.
Meanwhile, Arif Mohammed Khan defended his move to call Kannur University VC Gopinath Raveendranath, who had challenged the governor and said he will not tender his resignation, a “criminal” and said, "I called (Kannur) VC a criminal. 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 Kannur incident, wrote back to Raj Bhavan that I'm (VC) not a security expert, so can't give a report," he said.
The governor was referring to the attack on him during the History Congress organised in the Kannur University three years ago.
"You invite me there, you violate the approved program, and you violate every guideline. Only a conspirator can do that. Who else can do it," news agency ANI quoted the governor as saying.
He reiterated his stance that he is only trying to uphold the verdict of the Supreme Court, which said the selection process of the VCs violated UGC norms. “The SC order never cast any aspersions on the vice-chancellors. Even in the matter regarding the VC of the Technical University, the observation was not against the individual, but against the selection process. The VC, as a matter of fact, has been working quite efficiently. Hence, by asking them to tender their resignation, I was only suggesting an honourable way out for them so the selection process can be held afresh,” he said.
He clarified that the show-cause notices were issued to the VCs after they refused to give up their post formally. “They have time till November 3, and I may even be willing to consider their appeal if the reason is cogent.”
—With inputs from PTI, Onmanorama
