THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Governor Arif Mohammed Khan as Chancellor of Kerala University has granted an extension of 3 months from November 5 to the Search Committee to make recommendations for the appointment of VC of Kerala University, a Raj Bhavan official said on Monday.

The tenure of the Kerala University Vice Chancellor will expire on October 24. The university representative has not been selected by the search committee formed by the Governor.

"The chancellor is pleased to grant an extension of time to the search committee constituted to make recommendations for the appointment of Vice Chancellor of the University of Kerala for further periods of three months from November 5. All other terms of the notification dated August 5 will remain unchanged," the Raj Bhavan statement said.

Earlier, the Governor was questioned if he would sign the Universities Law Amendment Bill that is lying pending with him as he believes that the bill aims at appointing the unqualified relatives of the Chief Minister and ministers in universities.

"I won't allow the appointment of unqualified relatives of CM and ministers in the universities...I am not a rubber stamp. I will apply my mind, come to my own judgment, and then decide what's in accordance with the law, constitution and convention," Khan had said on the issue of the appointments in the Kerala University.

The University Laws Amendment Bill, which aims to curtail the power of the Governor in the selection of vice-chancellors, was passed by Kerala government this month. Since then, the bill has been pending before the Governor.

"Everything will be considered on merit. The government cannot be given the power to appoint the Vice Chancellors. I am saying it clearly, this will amount to executive interference," Khan had said on the matter of the University Laws Amendment Bill.

"The Chief Minister (Pinarayi Vijayan) had written to me assuring me that there will be no interference and now they are proposing that they will appoint Vice-Chancellor. That would mean the erosion of autonomy of educational institutions," he had added mentioning that as long as he remains in power, he won't let universities' autonomy erode.