KOCHI: The High Court division bench has stayed the single bench verdict that the Governor, in his capacity as Chancellor, and UGC must nominate representatives to the Search Committee to select the Vice Chancellor to the Technological University.

The division bench comprising Chief Justice, S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chaly gave the stay order on the grounds that according to the university guidelines, the Governor as no right in his capacity as Chancellor to constitute the Search Committee or to nominate representatives.

The stay order will be effective till January 10. The division bench’s order comes after the government filed a plea against the single bench’s order affirming the Governor’s decision to appoint Ciza Thomas as interim VC of Technological University.

The SC had cancelled the appointment of Dr. MS Rajasree as VC. The SC’s decision was based on the fact that representative of AICTE and the Chief Secretary was included in the Search Committee, which is against the guidelines of the UGC. The government accuses that after the SC order, the Governor appointed Dr Ciza Thomas, who is Education Department’s senior Joint Director, as interim VC.

The government argued that the Governor has not right to intervene in this manner according to the University rules and also under UGC 2018 regulations. According to the University rules, the Search Committee must have AICTE, University Board of Governors, and Chief Secretary. The SC said that the Chief Secretary and AICTE representative must not be allowed. Instead of AICTE representative, the UGC representative can be included. The right to decide who can be included in place of the Chief Secretary lies with legislative assembly, argued Advocate General K Gopalakrishnan.

Meanwhile, the Governor will approach the Supreme Court to get clarity on the HC’s decision saying that the Chancellor’s representative is not needed in the Search Committee.