KOCHI: In a setback to Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, the High Court on Tuesday stayed the nomination of four students to the Kerala University (KU) senate made by him in his capacity as Chancellor of the varsity. Justice T R Ravi issued the order staying for two weeks the nomination of Abhishek D Nair of BTM NSS College and Dhruvin S L of Christ Nagar College, both in Thiruvananthapuram on a petition filed by Arunima Ashok and another student.
The petitioners said Abhishek was only a third-semester student pursuing the BA History course. To establish he was an outstanding student in humanities, he should have proved his merit at the university level only upon completion of his BA with outstanding results. Only then could he be treated as such. As for Dhruvin, he was only a fifth-semester student pursuing a Bachelor of Computer Applications.
The court also upheld Khan’s order nominating Malavika Udayan and B A Sudhi Sadan, both fifth-semester biochemistry students at NSS College, Pandalam, under the category of students having outstanding ability in fine arts and sports, respectively. The order was issued on a petition filed by degree students Nanda Kishore of Mar Ivanios College in Thiruvananthapuram, and Avanth Sen P S of MSM College, Kayamkulam, challenging the Chancellor’s action.
Kishore was adjudged the ‘kalaprathibha’ in the Kerala University Youth Festival 2022-23, while Sen won bronze in the tug-of-war at the All-India Inter-University Competition.
The petitioners said though they were the only students found eligible for nomination under the Fine Arts and Sports categories, the Chancellor nominated Malavika and Sudhi. The court issued notices to the Chancellor and KU.