THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid dramatic scenes, the Senate meeting of the University of Kerala on Friday failed to reach a consensus on selecting a nominee for the search committee to choose a new Vice Chancellor for the varsity.
The Senate meeting was convened on the directions of Vice Chancellor in-charge Mohanan Kunnummal after Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, who is the varsity's Chancellor, asked the university to give its nominee to the VC search panel.
Eleven of the 17 senate members nominated by the Chancellor had entered the hall at 8.30 am for the meeting that was scheduled at 11 am. This was to thwart any attempt by the CPM's student wing SFI to prevent them from attending the meeting.
However, in a surprise move, Higher Education Minister R Bindu attended the meeting and chaired it in her capacity as Pro-Chancellor.
Deviating from the meeting's single agenda of selecting a Senate nominee, the Minister declared that the Left-backed members, who enjoy a majority in the Senate, have come up with a 'resolution'. It said the meeting to choose a nominee to the search committee was 'illegal' in the wake of a Supreme Court verdict.
Without carrying out any discussion, the Minister declared the 'resolution' as passed and also announced that the meeting was over, amid huge protests by pro-UDF and Governor-nominated Senate members.
Vice Chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal objected to the Minister's action. There were heated arguments between the VC and the Minister over the Pro-chancellor's authority to chair the meeting and alter the pre-decided agenda.
Even though Left-backed Senate members walked out of the hall after the Minister's declaration that the meeting was over, pro-UDF and Chancellor-nominated Senate members continued to stay put.
The two sections then proposed their respective nominees to the search panel. While former vice chancellor of Kerala University of Health Sciences MKC Nair was the choice of the Chancellor-nominated members, the pro-UDF members proposed former VC of Sanskrit University MC Dileep Kumar as their nominee.
The Vice-Chancellor is set to submit the names proposed by both sections and also give a detailed report on the meeting to the Chancellor.
