KOCHI: Three and half years after the appointment of Babu Sebastian as vice chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday declared he is unqualified to hold the public post.
The Bench issued the order while allowing a quo warranto writ petition filed by T R Premkumar, founder of Moozhikulam Sala, a cultural organisation here challenging the appointment.According to the petitioner, Sebastian was only an associate professor of Malayalam at St Thomas College, Pala. The selection and appointment of the VC could have been done only in accordance with the UGC regulations of 2010, which had become mandatory almost four years ago. The Bench disqualified Sebastian on the ground the composition of the selection committee was flawed and the post of Director of the State Institute of Education Technology did not equal the post of a university professor.
Sebastian’s name had been recommended by the selection committee consisting of E K Bharat Bhushan, the then Chief Secretary; Balaram, a UGC nominee and Director of Indian Institute of Science(IISc), Bengaluru and Benny Behanan MLA nominated in his capacity as a member of both the Senate and the Syndicate.
The petitioner contended as per the UGC Regulations, the nominee of the Syndicate should have eminence in the sphere of higher education and should not have any connection with the university concerned or the affiliated college.
The Bench observed there was no material on the record to hold Behanan, who was a member of the selection committee, was a person of eminence in the sphere of higher education. He was connected with the university, contrary to the statutory mandate. The court also said the Director in SIET cannot be likened to that of a professor. Hence, Sebastian lacked the qualification to the post of VC.
The Bench said in his application, Sebastian had mentioned the names of two ministers of then UDF Cabinet for reference. He also mentioned in the application he had authored the biography of one of them. But, there was no requirement to give reference names. Had it been so, the other two candidates recommended by the selection committee would have done so. The court said, “It hides nothing about candidates flexing political muscle.” The Division Bench recommended bringing in regulations to ensure the candidates applying for the post of vice chancellors should be disqualified in the event of giving the names of ministers or political figures for reference.