KOCHI: Justifying the decision to withdraw the nomination of 15 members of the senate of Kerala University, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, who is the chancellor of universities in the state, informed the Kerala High Court that his act was in good faith to avoid all possible delays in appointing vice-chancellor.
The chancellor filed the statement through his counsel Jaju Babu in response to the petition filed by Dr K S Chandrasekar and others challenging the notification issued by Governor Khan withdrawing the nominations of 15 members of the senate of Kerala University. The governor in the notification stated, “Members have failed to discharge their duties and responsibilities as a member in the senate of the university; I hereby withdraw my pleasure from allowing them to continue as members in the senate of the university with immediate effect”
The statement pointed out that it was illegal on the part of the senate to challenge the lawful action of the chancellor in constituting a selection committee in good faith and in the public interest to ensure the appointment of a new vice-chancellor without delay.
The action of the senate chaired by then vice-chancellor Prof V P Mahadevan Pillai requesting the chancellor to withdraw the notification constituting a selection committee is not in consonance with the provisions of the Kerala University Act, “but must be called a marked affront”.
The chancellor also pointed out that his nominees becoming parties in the unanimous decision of the senate requesting to withdraw the notification issued by the chancellor was unlawful and the nominees have gone out of bounds of their jurisdiction to exercise the authority and power which is not vested on them.