THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: If the High Court order, that the Senate representative to the Search Committee must be given within one month, is not followed, then the Governor in his capacity as the Chancellor might use his power to suspend or dissolve the Senate. He can also hand over the responsibility of the Senate to the interim VC and choose a representative to the Search Committee.

According to the High Court verdict, the Governor can take appropriate action if the representative is not chosen. The Governor might take hard decisions after waiting for one month.

The High Court verdict came on December 7. The Senate must meet by 7th next month. According to guidelines the Senate must meet only by giving a ten-day notice. There is no such move from the Syndicate.

Dr. Mohanan Kunnummal, who has the responsibility of the VC, can call the Senate, without the approval of the Syndicate. For the 102-member Senate, the quorum required is one-by-five which comes to 21 members. Even if he calls the Senate, the left members will not let the quorum be filled. Earlier also they had fooled the Governor without filling the quorum. Following that the Governor withdrew his 15 Senate appointees.

The Governor’s efforts to get the representative for the Search Committee has gone in vain. Meanwhile, he has extended the tenure of the Search Committee till February. The Senate had passed a resolution saying that the two-member Search Committee constituted by the Governor is illegal and must be withdrawn.

If the Senate sticks to the argument that its decisions can be reviewed only after 12 months, then the Governor will take tough decisions. It has been three months since the Kerala University has a permanent VC. All the activities at the university are dragging on slowly. This might affect the A++ ranking of the Kerala University.