Amid tussle, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot sets deadline for vice-chancellor’s appointment

Bengaluru: In an unprecedented warning, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has set a one-month deadline for the Congress government to invite applications for the vice-chancellor’s post at the rural development university failing which, he said, he would do it himself.

The vice-chancellor’s post at the Gadag-headquartered Mahatma Gandhi Rural Development & Panchayat Raj (RDPR) University has been vacant since May 2024 when Vishnukant S Chatpalli demitted office.

This is the same university where the government wants to remove the Governor’s power to appoint the vice-chancellor. Gehlot has returned the Bill, passed in December 2024, seeking “clarifications” and “necessary corrections” regarding its intent. Until the Bill is cleared, the vice-chancellor has to be appointed as per the existing law, Gehlot pointed out.

In a strongly-worded missive to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Gehlot stated that Raj Bhavan sent “numerous follow-ups and reminders” to the RDPR department on inviting applications for the V-C’s post “so as to not keep regular posts vacant for a long time”.

He also stated that the search committee comprising nominees of the government, the University Grants Commission and Raj Bhavan was constituted even before Chatpalli’s term ended.

The committee is “still waiting to commence its work due to lack of calling for applications from the state government [sic],” Gehlot stated.

Gehlot recalled press statements by ministers that the government wanted to “actively” improve the university’s administration by amending the RDPR University Act. “...yet, it is clearly seen that neither the minister concerned nor the department has taken active steps for the growth of the university,” he stated.

This was a reference to RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge, who said earlier that replacing the Governor with the CM as the university’s Chancellor would streamline operations, improve decision-making and promote innovation. He also called it the "Gujarat model".

“In spite of repeated advise to call for applications...the lethargy and indifference shown for the welfare of students is in stark contrast to the glorious mirage shown in the media,” Gehlot stated.

Gehlot asked Siddaramaiah to direct the RDPR department to call applications for the V-C’s post. Keeping the post vacant for long “affects the growth of the university and in turn the opportunities of bright scholars and students of our state,” he added.

When contacted, Priyank said that the government would again request Gehlot to approve the Bill passed by the legislature. He also pointed out that the Supreme Court had made it clear that the Governor cannot sit on Bills.

The Congress government got into a collision course with Raj Bhavan ever since Gehlot sanctioned Siddaramaiah's prosecution in the MUDA site allotment scam last year.

Also, the government has said it would consider moving the Supreme Court, like Tamil Nadu, against the Governor for not clearing Bills.