THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala University Senate on Friday passed a resolution calling the Governor's action in setting up a search committee for the appointment of the vice-chancellor illegal. The old resolution passed in the month of August in this regard has been amended.

The Senate requested the Governor to withdraw the notification stating that the search committee constituted by the Governor has no legal existence. The Senate said the search committee should be formed legally. All 50 left-wing members of the Kerala University Senate approved it, while seven objected. The senate members argued that the resolution was not against the chancellor but against the notification. The Senate informed that they will nominate a representative only if the governor withdraws the search committee and that the members of the Senate will listen to the court in this regard.

The governor had previously responded that he had questioned all the illegal activities in the universities which led to an allegation regarding parallel government. "VCs are being asked to appoint unqualified people by those in the Chief Minister's office. Those who are trying to improve the education sector are inducting their own party members who are incompetent. Wasn't a close relative of the Chief Minister's secretary recommended to be appointed in Kannur University? The ministers are appointing more than 50 personal staff and giving them pension after two years when people are hunting jobs", the governor said.