V-C selection: Kerala HC flays KU for not nominating member to panel

KOCHI: Coming down heavily on Kerala University senate for not nominating a member to the selection committee constituted by Governor Arif Mohammed Khan in his capacity as Chancellor for appointing a new vice-chancellor, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday asked whether the university doesn’t require a VC.

“You are happy to have somebody in charge. I have no problem keeping a person holding charge of vice-chancellor forever. I just want to run the institution. I don’t care about individuals,” the court told the counsel for the university. The court also asked how the institution will function without a vice-chancellor. The court is only concerned about the future of students and not the persons involved in the drama, said Justice Devan Ramachandran.

When it was brought to the notice of the court that the nominated senate members were withdrawn by the Chancellor using the doctrine of pleasure, the court said that the concept of pleasure could be invoked against those who acted against law. “Pleasure in any concept is when you act against law, not act against the individual,” the court said and added that it would have to verify whether the senate members had violated the law.

The court made the observation while considering a batch of petitions challenging the notification of the governor withdrawing 15 members from the Kerala University senate. When the petitions came up for hearing, the court wondered why the senate was standing on hyper technicalities to say that it would not nominate a member. The court asked the counsel whether the meeting to be held on November 4 will decide to nominate a person to the committee.

In fact, the court was giving the nominated senate members an opportunity to be part of the senate by making such a suggestion. “I am trying to find out a solution by allowing the petitioners to participate in the meeting to nominate a person to the committee. But you are saying that it is not possible. If the senate is able to get the nominee in November, things will be easier,” the court told the counsel for the university. The court said the senate could simply nominate a candidate and a VC could straightaway be appointed, and the matter ends there.