Kerala: Government Bringing Ordinance To Remove Governor As Chancellor Of State Universities

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala has decided to bring an ordinance to remove the Governor from the role of Chancellor at state universities.

This is in view of the ongoing clash between the state government and Governor Arif Mohammad Khan over the appointment of vice-chancellors (VCs) to state universities.

According to the proposed ordinance, an eminent academic will become the Chancellor instead of the Governor.

Higher Education Minister R Bindu said that the ordinance would be sent to the Governor after a Cabinet meeting today and she hoped that the Governor would sign the ordinance.

In August, Khan had refused to sign 11 ordinances that the government wanted to re-promulgate, saying that he did not see the ‘urgency’ to do so and that the Supreme Court had cautioned against re-promulgation of ordinances. This forced the Kerala Cabinet to ask the Governor to call for an assembly session.

Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court has asked Khan not to take any action against the vice-chancellors, until the court decides on the petition filed by the VCs challenging the show cause notice served to them.