The Supreme Court of India strongly criticized the Kerala Governor for failing to take action on the report submitted by Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia regarding the appointment of Vice Chancellors in two state universities. The Court made it clear that the report is not an ordinary document and represents the considered work of a former Supreme Court judge. The Bench, led by Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan, questioned why the recommendations had not been implemented even though the committee had already completed its task.
The dispute began when the Kerala Government and the Governor disagreed over who had the authority to appoint Vice Chancellors at APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology. To break the deadlock, the Supreme Court appointed Justice Dhulia to head a search and selection committee responsible for preparing a panel of qualified candidates for the two universities.
During the recent hearing, the Court noted that waiting for official records was not a valid reason for delaying the process. It directed the Governor to review the recommendations and move ahead without any further postponement. The Court also stated that it would later evaluate whether the final decision made by the Governor complies with legal requirements.
This issue is relevant as the prolonged vacancies in Vice Chancellor positions can disrupt university administration and academic functioning.The Apex court The Court’s intervention aims to restore order in the state’s higher education system and ensure that key leadership roles are filled promptly.
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