THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a move that could further escalate the ongoing confrontation between the Raj Bhavan and the government, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has issued orders reappointing Dr Mohanan Kunnummal as Vice-Chancellor of Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS). He will also continue to hold the charge of Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kerala.
Kunnummal’s re-appointment is seen as a challenge for the LDF government, owing to his frequent run-ins with the CPM-dominated syndicate at Kerala University on various issues.
According to a notification issued by the Raj Bhavan on Thursday, Kunnummal has been reappointed for five years with effect from Saturday (October 26), when his current term expires, or till he attains the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier.
The reappointment has been made as per Section 10(5) ii of the KUHS Act. In a separate notification, the Raj Bhavan said Kunnummal will continue to hold VC charge till a person is appointed regularly to the post.
The government has termed Governor Arif Mohammed Khan’s decision to reappoint Dr Mohanan Kunnummal as ‘opportunistic’ and ‘unfortunate’. In a statement, Higher Education Minister R Bindu said the governor, who had once put her in the dock over the reappointment of a vice-chancellor, has now done the same as per his ‘whims and fancies’.