THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While the governor-government war is intensifying, the government is of the view not to allow the Governor to deliver the policy address in the new year.

It is indicated that the assembly session, which will be convened from December 5, will continue in January. The plan is to adjourn the session on December 15 and then resume after Christmas until January. This is to avoid the governor's policy address. The Governor's policy address will no longer be required if the budget is presented in January and passed in full by March 31.

The ordinance removing the governor from the post of chancellor met an untimely death as the cabinet meeting decided to recommend the governor to convene the assembly session from December 5. The Governor has not yet examined the ordinance, which was passed by the cabinet last week and sent to the Raj Bhavan.

The rule is that the first assembly session of the new year should begin with the Governor's policy address. This can be avoided if the session started in the previous year continues into the new year.

n 1990, the Nayanar government used the same strategy to get rid of then Governor Ram Dulari Sinha. The draft ordinance passed last week recommends that instead of the governor, experts in their respective fields should be appointed as honorary chancellors of universities.

A committee headed by the Principal Secretary of Higher Education has been tasked to study the bills passed by Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Rajasthan regarding the post of chancellor and submit recommendations on the amendment bill to be introduced in the Assembly. The committee will also study the laws in Gujarat, where the Governor does not have the post of chancellor. Nine universities of similar nature will have a single chancellor. Funds will be utilized from the university grant for the expenditure. Agricultural, Technical, CUSAT, Fisheries and Health universities will have chancellors who are experts in their respective fields. A bill may be introduced in the Legislative Assembly without the Governor's prior approval if there is no financial obligation on the part of the government.

However, the bill passed by the assembly will become law only when the Governor approves it. The Governor has said that he will send the bill to the President. Meanwhile, it is indicated that the Centre is planning to amend the UGC rules to ensure that the Governor remains as the chancellor of all universities. In that case, the state's bill will be a farce.