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Resolve issues for sake of students: SC on Kerala govt-governor dispute
A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan made the remarks while hearing Kerala governor Rajendra Arlekar’s petition challenging a Kerala HC decision.
New Delhi: Appointment of vice chancellors to state-run universities should be harmoniously resolved between the state government and governor, who is the chancellor, as any confrontation by bringing in politics will harm the interest of students and the educational institutions, the Supreme Court said on Wednesday.
A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan made the remarks while hearing Kerala governor Rajendra Arlekar’s petition challenging a July 14 Kerala high court decision that set aside his order appointing vice chancellors to two state universities — APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and Digital University of Kerala. The high court order came after the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government objected to the November 27, 2024 notification on VC appointments issued by the governor.
Terming the imbroglio involving the two constitutional heads “unfortunate”, the bench said: “Appointment of vice chancellors in educational institutions should not reach courts. There has to be harmony between the chancellor (who is the governor of the state), and the state government. Who are the sufferers ultimately? It is the students.”
Attorney general R Venkatramani, appearing for the governor, said the notification issued by the chancellor sought to remedy a situation where the post of VC was lying vacant that was affecting the progress of the institution. Unless the high court order is vacated, the chancellor’s hands are tied, he added.
“Do not allow politics to come in,” the bench told the state, represented by senior advocate Jaideep Gupta. “What is hurting us is that in this confrontation, students are getting affected…?”
The court posted the matter for further hearing after two weeks.
