Kerala govt moves HC against appointment of KTU VC

Kochi, Nov 28 (PTI) The Kerala government has filed an appeal in the High Court on Thursday, seeking to set aside the notification issued by Governor Arif Mohammed Khan appointing K Sivaprasad, a professor in the Department of Ship Technology at CUSAT, as the Vice Chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU).

The Governor on Wednesday made the appointment in his capacity as Chancellor of the university, prompting the state government to challenge the decision.

The matter came up for consideration before Justice Ziyad Rahman A A, who posted it for hearing after one week.

The court, however, declined to grant an interim stay on the notification.

The notification and entrustment of Sivaprasad with the powers and duties of the Vice Chancellor of the University is not in conformity with the provisions of the Act, hence it is illegal, the petition stated.

According to the state, the provisions of the Act do not bestow any unfettered power or discretion on the Chancellor to appoint any person of his choice to exercise the powers and functions of the Vice Chancellor of the University pending the appointment of a regular Vice-Chancellor.

The appointment was as per the choice of the Chancellor and not based on the recommendation of the government, it added.

Governor Khan on Wednesday appointed new vice chancellors to A P J Abdul Kalam Technological University and the Digital University in the state.

Khan, in his capacity as the Chancellor of the university, appointed K Sivaprasad, Professor, Department of Ship Technology, of the Cochin University of Science and Technology as the vice chancellor of the Technological University here until further orders.

The CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala and Governor Khan have been at loggerheads for some time over various issues, including the appointment of vice chancellors and faculty recruitments in various universities across the state. PTI ARM ROH