<p>Kochi: The <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/kerala">Kerala</a> High Court on Monday declared that the Governor's appointment of a temporary Vice-Chancellor for APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University was not legal.</p>.<p>It said that the appointment did not follow the proper procedure laid down by law.</p>.<p>The case was filed by the state government, challenging a notification (Ext.P9) issued by the Chancellor (Governor of Kerala) on November 27, 2024. This notification had appointed Dr K Sivaprasad as temporary Vice-Chancellor of the university after the earlier appointee, Dr Saji Gopinath, stepped down.</p>.Kerala: Dalit woman alleges custodial harassment in police station; accuses CMO of inaction.<p>The court ruled that under Section 13(7) of the University Act, the Governor cannot appoint anyone as Vice-Chancellor without a name being recommended by the state government.</p>.<p>Since Sivaprasad's name was not suggested by the government, the court held the appointment invalid.</p>.<p>However, the court did not remove Sivaprasad immediately, noting that his term ends on May 27, 2025.</p>.<p>The court asked the government to send a fresh list of eligible names to the Governor as soon as possible.</p>.<p>It also directed the government to speed up the regular appointment process for a new Vice-Chancellor.</p>.<p>Importantly, the court said that any appointment to the post must follow the University Grants Commission (UGC) rules from 2018.</p>.<p>Kerala's ruling CPI(M) welcomed the High Court's ruling, calling it a strong message against the Governor's actions and a step in support of federal values.</p>.<p>In a statement, CPI(M) state secretariat said that the court’s decision makes it clear that temporary Vice-Chancellors of universities must be appointed only from the panel of names recommended by the state government.</p>.<p>The party criticised former Governor Arif Mohammed Khan for ignoring this rule while appointing Vice-Chancellors to the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and the Digital University of Kerala.</p>.<p>Although the court did not cancel the appointment of the current temporary Vice-Chancellor since his term ends on May 27, CPI(M) said the judgment sends a clear warning that such violations should not happen again.</p>.<p>CPI(M) said this is also a strong warning to the BJP government at the Centre, which it accused of using Governors to push political interests in universities.</p>.<p>CPI(M) also criticised the Congress-led UDF in Kerala, saying it supported the former Governor's attempts to bring in RSS-backed policies to higher education.</p>.<p>The court's decision, they said, is a setback to such political stands and a victory for democratic and federal principles. </p>
<p>Kochi: The <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/kerala">Kerala</a> High Court on Monday declared that the Governor's appointment of a temporary Vice-Chancellor for APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University was not legal.</p>.<p>It said that the appointment did not follow the proper procedure laid down by law.</p>.<p>The case was filed by the state government, challenging a notification (Ext.P9) issued by the Chancellor (Governor of Kerala) on November 27, 2024. This notification had appointed Dr K Sivaprasad as temporary Vice-Chancellor of the university after the earlier appointee, Dr Saji Gopinath, stepped down.</p>.Kerala: Dalit woman alleges custodial harassment in police station; accuses CMO of inaction.<p>The court ruled that under Section 13(7) of the University Act, the Governor cannot appoint anyone as Vice-Chancellor without a name being recommended by the state government.</p>.<p>Since Sivaprasad's name was not suggested by the government, the court held the appointment invalid.</p>.<p>However, the court did not remove Sivaprasad immediately, noting that his term ends on May 27, 2025.</p>.<p>The court asked the government to send a fresh list of eligible names to the Governor as soon as possible.</p>.<p>It also directed the government to speed up the regular appointment process for a new Vice-Chancellor.</p>.<p>Importantly, the court said that any appointment to the post must follow the University Grants Commission (UGC) rules from 2018.</p>.<p>Kerala's ruling CPI(M) welcomed the High Court's ruling, calling it a strong message against the Governor's actions and a step in support of federal values.</p>.<p>In a statement, CPI(M) state secretariat said that the court’s decision makes it clear that temporary Vice-Chancellors of universities must be appointed only from the panel of names recommended by the state government.</p>.<p>The party criticised former Governor Arif Mohammed Khan for ignoring this rule while appointing Vice-Chancellors to the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and the Digital University of Kerala.</p>.<p>Although the court did not cancel the appointment of the current temporary Vice-Chancellor since his term ends on May 27, CPI(M) said the judgment sends a clear warning that such violations should not happen again.</p>.<p>CPI(M) said this is also a strong warning to the BJP government at the Centre, which it accused of using Governors to push political interests in universities.</p>.<p>CPI(M) also criticised the Congress-led UDF in Kerala, saying it supported the former Governor's attempts to bring in RSS-backed policies to higher education.</p>.<p>The court's decision, they said, is a setback to such political stands and a victory for democratic and federal principles. </p>