Kerala: Governor Vindicated; High Court Quashes Appointment Of One More Vice Chancellor

A division bench of the Kerala High Court, comprising Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chaly, quashed the appointment of Dr K Riji John as the Vice Chancellor of Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS).

John is one of the nine Vice Chancellors (VCs) who had been asked to resign by Governor Arif Mohammad Khan after the Supreme Court decision quashing the appointment of Dr MS Rajasree as the VC of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University. 

John's appointment was quashed on the same grounds that the Supreme Court used to quash the appointment of Rajasree, i.e., the search committee sent only one name to the Chancellor instead of the stipulated three to five names.

The High Court asked for the selection process to be done afresh by following the correct procedure.

The verdict comes after Khan said that he would refer the ordinance removing the Governor as Chancellor of state universities to the President.

Also Read: Kerala: Ordinance taking away powers of Governor as Chancellor of state universities to be referred to President