THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Emboldened by a favourable High Court verdict on the appointment of Kannur University Vice-Chancellor Gopinath Ravindran, the government has decided to adopt a firm stance on the matter.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s assertion in the cabinet meeting that the governor’s outbursts were politically motivated and Higher Education Minister R Bindu adopting an aggressive stance before the media show that the government is ready to take the matter head on.
The High Court on Wednesday dismissed the plea challenging the reappointment of Ravindran as vice-chancellor. Justice Amit Rawal said there was no violation of the statutory provisions for reconsideration of the purpose of reappointment and hence, writ of quo-warranto could not be issued.
Sources said that the CM asserted in the cabinet meeting that the reappointment of Ravindran was done in a transparent manner. By attributing a political motive to the governor’s utterances, the chief minister sent out a message to his cabinet colleagues not to be cowed down by the issue.
Soon, Minister Bindu, who had been keeping away from public events after her letter came out in the open, faced the media. Welcoming the High Court verdict, the minister dubbed her letter to the governor as a “routine official correspondence”.
"It is not morally correct to discuss in the media the correspondence between the governor and the government and the chancellor and the pro-chancellor. It is important to preserve the decorum of the diplomatic relation between the governor and the government. I am not ready for a media trial on the matter," Bindu told reporters.
Asked why the search committee to select the VC was disbanded, she said the governor should be asked about it. However, the government's aggressive stance may be short-lived as the petitioners are gearing up to approach the division bench as soon as the copy of the single judge’s verdict is obtained.
Petitioners to file appeal
Emboldened , The Save University Campaign Committee, which is spearheading the legal battle, said the preliminary hearing in the case by the single judge could not consider the latest developments. "The governor’s letter to the chief minister admitting irregularities in the VC appointment and the higher education minster's interference in the issue could not be thoroughly considered by the court. While appealing against the verdict, all these factors will be presented," the campaign committee said in a statement.