THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The decision of the Kerala University Senate meeting not to appoint a representative to the search committee to appoint the Vice-Chancellor is likely to be overturned by the Governor. Governor Arif Muhammad Khan sought legal advice on the matter. Vice-Chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal visited the Governor yesterday and explained what happened in the Senate meeting. The governor asked for a detailed report from the VC.

The Governor will take further steps after examining the legal aspects of the meeting under the chairmanship of Minister R Bindu, who is the Pro-Chancellor. The Governor can consider the complaints related to this and cancel the Senate meeting held the previous day and re-convene it and demand that the university representative be proposed to the search committee, or a search committee can be formed including the names suggested by the opposition members in the Senate meeting based on the VC's report. Otherwise, the Governor can form a search committee on his own without the representative of the university. The Governor will take a decision based on legal advice and examine these possibilities.

Meanwhile, the Governor's nominees in the Senate also reached the Raj Bhavan yesterday and presented the information. Dr. Vinodkumar TG Nair, P. Sreekumar, PS Gopakumar, G. Sajikumar, VK Manchu, OB Kavita and Dr. S. Mini Venugopal met the Governor. They complained to the governor that there was lawlessness and chaos in the Senate meeting led by the minister.

'Governor should accept court verdict'

Left Syndicate members demanded that the Chancellor, the Governor, should accept the Supreme Court verdict and the UGC regulation in the process of appointing the Vice Chancellor. Senate meeting decided that the appointment of VC should be done following the Supreme Court verdict and as per UGC regulation. As per the UGC regulation, the Senate does not have to decide the representative to the selection committee. According to the University Act, the Minister of Higher Education, who is the Pro-Chancellor, has the right to attend Senate meetings and to preside in the absence of the Chancellor.