'No need for CM in VC appointment' Governor Arlekar files plea in Supreme Court

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar filed a sub-petition in the Supreme Court demanding that the Chief Minister play no role in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors in universities. The Governor's counter-petition comes as the Supreme Court is moving ahead with the formation of a search committee for the appointment of digital and technical VCs. The Supreme Court has ordered that the search committee panel for the appointment of VCs be prepared and handed over to the Chief Minister, and that the Governor approve the order of priority proposed by the Chief Minister. The sub-petition seeking amendments to this was filed on Monday. The Governor also requested that the sub-petition be considered urgently.

The petitioner demanded that the panel for appointment cannot be handed over to the Chief Minister and that the search committee should directly hand over the panel to the Governor. He also opposed the suggestion that the appointment should be made in accordance with the order of priority in the panel. The petition points out that all those on the panel are eligible to become VCs, and the Governor can make appointments using his own discretion.

The Governor does not oppose the search committee appointed by the Supreme Court with retired Judge Sudhanshu Dhulia as its chairman. However, the Governor remained steadfast that a UGC representative be included in the committee. A search committee without a UGC representative is not legal. Such appointments may be questioned in the future. The Governor also pinpointed the previous orders when the Supreme Court said a UGC representative needed to be included in the committee. The Governor's petition also includes a request to make the UGC a party to the case.

1. The Governor's petition states that there is no consensus with the government on the formation of the search committee. The Supreme Court had said that the appointment should be made through consensus.

2. Currently, there are two representatives each from the government and the governor in the search committee. The petition also states that the government did not consult the governor on further steps.

3. Meanwhile, the governor does not object to the government's notification for the appointment of VCs in both posts. The court directed that Rs. three lakh be paid as remuneration for the sitting.