KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Monday declined to stay the Government Ordinance that reduced the retirement age of Registrars, Finance Officers and Controllers of Examinations of certain universities in the state from 60 to 56. The court passed the order when a petition filed by S David Peter (Registrar on Leave), Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) challenging the Ordinance came up for hearing. The court also issued a notice to the government and Cusat.
According to the petitioner, six universities - Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Science University, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kerala University of Health Services, Thuchanthu Ezhuthachan Malayalam University and APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University - are out of the Ordinance’s purview.
The petition pointed out the Ordinance had also restricted the tenure of these statutory officers to four years. It said the Ordinance infringed on the fundamental rights of the petitioner.