KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Monday closed a writ petition challenging the appointment of Advocate Girija Gopal as the standing counsel for Kerala University after noting that the advocate whose removal had triggered the dispute had resigned.
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas held that the petition had become infructuous following the resignation of Advocate Thomas Abraham, who had been appointed as the university’s standing counsel by the Syndicate in 2016.
However, the court left open the legal question raised in the petition, observing that it could be considered in an appropriate case in future. The petition challenged the Vice-Chancellor’s decision to terminate Abraham’s appointment and appoint Girija Gopal by invoking powers under Section 10(13) of the Kerala University Act, 1974.
The petitioner contended that, under the Kerala University First Statutes, 1977, the Syndicate alone is empowered to appoint the standing counsel.