HC allows Calicut Uni VC to continue by staying governor's order, didn't intervene in sacking of Kalady VC

KOCHI: The High Court stayed the governor's action in dismissing Calicut University VC Dr MK Jayaraj. But the court did not interfere in the sacking of Kalady VC Dr MV Narayanan. Both approached the High Court against the governor's order to step down. The governor sacked them after finding that including the Chief Secretary in the search committee of the University of Calicut and recommending only one person for the appointment of the Sanskrit VC was a violation of UGC rules. The dismissal of Calicut University VC has been stayed till further order.

KTU VC Dr Rajashree was sacked by the Supreme Court for not having the prescribed UGC qualification. Based on this verdict, the governor took steps to expel all the 11 VCs.

The Kalady Sanskrit University VC told the court that he is qualified and his name was recommended as the most eligible person from the search committee and that there is no violation of the law. But the court did not intervene in this. Earlier, during the hearing of the case, the court had verbally asked that the issue was violation of UGC rules and not academic matters and whether the UGC rules allow the governor to appoint a panel of more than one person in the search committee.

The inclusion of the Chief Secretary, a part of the government administration, in the Calicut University search committee was found by the chancellor to be a violation. The lawyer argued in the court that the then chief secretary was a person of academic excellence and had held the temporary charge of the VC.