Amid impasse between Kerala CM and Governor, SC asks panel to suggest one name each for VC post in two varsities
Amid the ongoing impasse between the Kerala Chief Minister and Governor over the appointment of vice chancellors in two technical universities in the state, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked a committee headed by Justice (Retd) Sudhanshu Dhulia to recommend one name each for the posts. The apex court's two-judge bench, headed by Justice JB Pardiwala and including Justice KV Viswanathan, was hearing the matter related to the appointments of VCs of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and the University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology. On Thursday, the top court asked the committee to submit the names in a sealed cover by next Wednesday, and fixed the matter for further hearing on December 18. The court heard the submissions from R Venkataramani, the Attorney General (AG) appearing for the Governor-cum-Chancellor, and Jaideep Gupta, senior counsel appearing for Kerala, as they apprised it that despite their best of efforts, the deadlock continues. The court stated in its order, a copy of which was accessed by TNIE, that the Vice-Chancellor and the Chief Minister have not been able to reach any consensus regarding the appointment of Vice Chancellors in the two universities. It was expected that the Vice Chancellor and the Chief Minister would reach to some consensus and finalize the names. However, nothing has been done so far except some exchange of letters between the two, thereby prompting us to request the Committee headed by Justice Dhulia to look into the issue, said the bench. We are of the view that in such a situation, we should once again request the Committee headed by Justice Dhulia to look into the letter of the Chief Minister and the reply of the Vice-Chancellor and give us one composite report. We request the Committee to give us the names in order of preference for each of the universities in a sealed cover. We request the Committee to undertake this exercise and forward its report by Wednesday, 17th December, 2025 so that we can. take up the matter on Thursday, 18th December, 2025 as the first item, said the top court in its order. During the course of the hearing on Thursday, Gupta submitted that the Law Minister and the Higher Education Minister had met the Chancellor on Wednesday. He said that the Chief Minister's objection was only with respect to one name (Ciza Thomas), and that the Chancellor did not indicate any particular objection to the other names. The Chief Minister has said apart from this particular name, any other name can be chosen. When she was the temporary Vice Chancellor, she completely disrupted the functioning of the University, claimed Gupta. Hearing this, Justice Pardiwala, however, pointed out that the committee led by Justice Dhulia has itself recommended her name. Gupta responded that the committee did not recommend the names in the order of merit, and it is only the Chief Minister who has to do so as per the August 18 order. Considering that the two authorities have not been able to reach a consensus and there is no likelihood that it would be reached in future, the court ordered that the Justice Dhulia Committee will now recommend one name each. In its earlier hearing on December 5, the Supreme Court had indicated that it would intervene in resolving the impasse if Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Governor-cum-chancellor Rajendra Arlekar did not reach a consensus. Governor Arlekar had on September 2 moved the Supreme Court seeking the exclusion of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan from the selection process of Vice Chancellors for these two universities. The Governor, in the petition filed in the top court, said neither of the universities envisioned any role for the chief minister in the selection process of Vice-Chancellors. He pointed out in his petition that the university enactments -- the A P J Abdul Kalam Technological University Act and the Kerala Digital University Act -- had no provision for having the minister for higher education or the state government as a part of the selection process for recommendation for appointment of VCs. The Chief Minister being the executive head of the state is connected with a number of government colleges, managed by the government and affiliated to the university. Therefore, as per UGC Regulations he cannot have any role whatsoever in the appointment of Vice Chancellors, the application said. The Governor said the panel of the names of selected candidates shall be submitted by the search-cum-selection committee to the Chancellor with the names arranged in alphabetical order and the prerogative to select the Vice Chancellor will be with the Chancellor. The court may direct the inclusion of a nominee of the chairman of the UGC as a member in the search-cum-selection committee for the selection of the Vice Chancellor, which has been constituted by Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, it added.
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