KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Friday, March 24, overturned Governor Arif Mohammed Khan's order to withdraw 15 nominated senators from the University of Kerala, dealing him a severe setback.
Khan, who is also the chancellor of universities in the state, took the decision to withdraw in October last year, after the nominated senate members by him refused to heed his directives.
It was against this order that a few senate members who lost their membership approached the high court and after a long drawn legal battle, the court quashed the order.
Jyothikumar Chamakala, a spokesperson for the Congress and former senator, claimed that this court order was anticipated.
"The Chancellor (Governor) made a mistake of withdrawing four ex-officio members also, which though selected by him, he doesn't have the authority. He could have deleted the final 11 members, but he made the error of eliminating all 15. We had pointed this out, then itself," said Chamakala.
Meanwhile, sources close to Khan's office said they are waiting for the order of the court to see the scope for going for an appeal.
The Governor's order to suspend the Kerala Technical University Syndicate's decision had been overturned by the high court last week. By placing restrictions on the vice-chancellor, the Governor put an end to the Syndicate's new system of government. The intervention of the governor was in the middle of the battle between the vice chancellor and the syndicate. The syndicate member approached the high court questioning this.
Kerala: Pinarayi Vijayan accuses BJP of appeasement of Christians
