Supreme Court Intervenes in Kerala University VCs' Appointment Dispute

Days after the Supreme Court intervened to end the deadlock between Kerala’s Governor and Chief Minister in the appointment of vice chancellors in two universities, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Sunday said that the health of a democracy’s functioning depends upon institutions “knowing and respecting” their limits. Hearing a matter pertaining to the appointment of VCs of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and the University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked a committee headed by retired Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia to recommend names for the posts of the VCs in these universities. The court intervention came amid a deadlock between the Governor and the government, who had been unable to reach a consensus on the matter. The Governor had moved the top court, challenging the order of the division bench of the Kerala High Court disposing of a plea filed against a single judge’s order setting aside the November 27, 2024, notification appointing Professor K Sivaprasad of Cochin University of Science and Technology as Vice Chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University.