Thiruvananthpuram: The Kerala cabinet has given its consent to bring in an ordinance to remove the Governor, Arif Muhammed Khan from the post of the Chancellor of all universities. As per the proposed ordinance, each University will have a different chancellor. The decision was taken in the cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Earlier in June, the West Bengal Assembly had passed a Bill removing the Governor as Chancellor of Universities and appointing the West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee as the Chancellor of the state-run varsities. Mamata cited the Gujarat model where a similar legislation took away all the powers of the Governor as Chancellor of the state-run universities – including the power to appoint vice-chancellors
The Kerala Cabinet unanimously resolved to bring in the ordinance, which the Governor himself will have to sign to become a law. The cabinet decision to appoint different Chancellors for different universities and experts in the field of Higher Education will only be considered for the post of Chancellor.
The government aims to amend the relevant sections of laws regarding the administration of Universities through the ordinance. According to the Chief Minister's office, the decision was taken after careful consideration of the Punchhi Commission report's in this regard.
In 2007, the United Progressive Alliance government constituted a Commission on Centre-State Relations under the chairmanship of Justice Madan Mohan Punchhi, former Chief Justice of India to look into the issues of Centre-State relations. The Punchhi Commission submitted its report in 2010. The report suggested that it may not be ideal to keep the Governor as the Chancellor of Universities as the Governor is responsible for implementing the constitutional responsibilities and recommended to avoid Governor from holding the post of Chancellor.
A press release issued by the CM's office also noted that the cabinet meeting observed that appointing higher education experts as Chancellors of universities would help in achieving the government's long-term goal to upgrade the higher education institutions to international quality.
Kerala Higher Education Minister R Bindu on Wednesday said the LDF government through an ordinance intends to replace the Governor with expert academicians as Chancellor of universities in the state. The state government's move comes amidst the ongoing tussle between it and the Governor over functioning of universities, including appointment of Vice Chancellors, in the state.
Talking to media persons, Bindu said the government has taken the decision for the improvement of the higher education and universities in the state. On queries whether Governor Arif Mohammed Khan would sign the ordinance, the minister said she hopes that he would act according to his Constitutional duties.
