Kerala HC stays order for including Chancellor's representative in Search Committee of Kerala Technological University
Dec 13, 2022
Kochi (Kerala) [India], December 13 : Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Tuesday stayed the order of the Single Bench which directed to include the representative of the Chancellor in the Search Committee of the Kerala Technological University (KTU) for the appointment of Vice-Chancellor.
The Division Bench stayed this citing the direction is against the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations.
This rule has come in an appeal filed by the State Government against the Single Bench order which upholds the appointment of Ciza Thomas as Vice-Chancellor in-charge of KTU by the Governor who is the Chancellor.
The court also observed that it cannot exclude state government from the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor in-charge of the University and giving full authority to the Chancellor is against the regulations of UGC.
The court also observed that there is no need for a representative in the search committee who is appointing a Vice Chancellor of the University. The court said that it will consider all facts which are factual.
The court will further hear the matter in January.
On November 29, the Single Bench of the Kerala High Court upheld Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan's order appointing Ciza Thomas, senior joint director of the directorate of technical education, as VC in-charge of the KTU. Single Bench of Justice Devan Ramachandran also dismissed the petition filed by the State Government challenging the Governor's order.
Court held that "I cannot find fault with the chancellor in having done so. Ciza Thomas is fully qualified to be appointed as VC in-charge of the KTU university."
