THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a setback for Kerala Technological University (KTU) Vice-Chancellor Ciza Thomas, the Kerala Administrative Tribunal (KAT) on Thursday turned down her plea to set aside a show-cause notice issued to her by the state government for not seeking permission before taking up the appointment.
However, the tribunal asked the government not to make her a “scapegoat” in its ongoing “standoff” with the governor.
Ciza is retiring on Friday (March 31). The KAT asked the government to decide with an “open mind” after providing Ciza “an opportunity of hearing”.
“We hope the respondents (government) will permit the applicant to retire peacefully,” KAT said in its order. Ciza, a senior joint director in the directorate of technical education, was given additional charge of KTU VC by Governor Arif Mohammed Khan in November last year.
With barely a few weeks left before her retirement, the government issued a show-cause notice against her for not obtaining its permission before taking up the appointment. Last month, the government removed her from the senior joint director post and put her fresh appointment on hold.
After Ciza approached the KAT, the tribunal asked the government to post here in the Thiruvananthapuram district as she was also carrying out the duties of the KTU vice-chancellor. The government then posted her as the principal of Government Engineering College, Barton Hill. However, on March 10, the higher education department issued her a show-cause notice.