'Pay pension, dues to Prof Ciza Thomas within two weeks'; Tribunal tells Kerala govt

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In yet another blow to the state government, the State Administrative Tribunal ordered that Ciza Thomas be paid interim pension and dues within two weeks. Ciza was the former Principal of Engineering College and Senior Joint Director in the Technical Education Department. Now she is the vice chancellor of the digital university. The government had earlier gone to the Supreme Court against Ciza but failed to get a favourable verdict.

Ciza was appointed as the VC of the Technical University by the Governor while she was Senior Joint Director in the Department of Technical Education. She was appointed by the governor, by annulling the government recommendation to make Higher Education Secretary Ishita Roy interim VC.

As punishment for obeying the governor, the government withheld her pension and retirement benefits even 23 months after her retirement in March 2023. The benefits were not given despite the Supreme Court order. In August 2023, an order was issued passing provisional pension but the amount was not paid. It was in this situation that Ciza Thomas approached the tribunal.

In her petition. Ciza blamed C Ajayan, Additional Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, for being behind all actions targeting her. The petition was filed against him in the case. The tribunal also ordered to send a notice to C Ajayan.