Constitution does not permit Kerala Governor to issue directive to VCs for resignation: Yechury

New Delhi [India], October 24 (ANI): Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Monday hit out at Kerala governor Arif Mohammad Khan for directing nine universities' Vice Chancellors to resign, and said that the Constitution does not permit Kerala Governor to issue such a directive.
"He (Kerala Governor ) has no authority to give such a direction. This is arbitrary, illegal and politically motivated," said Sitaram Yechury while speaking to ANI.
Sitaram Yechury accused the Kerala Governor of wanting control of Higher Education in the state.
"Everybody knows about the high literacy rate in the state, the governor of Kerala wants to control and destroy the Higher Education system," said Yechury.
CPI(M) General secretary further told ANI that the motive behind issuing directions to resign VCs is RSS Hindutva ideology through controlling the Institution of Higher Education.
"This is something that will be challenged and I am sure that the Judiciary will also take account of it and the Constitution does not permit such orders to be issued," he said.
Armed with a recent Supreme Court order quashing the appointment of the vice-chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University here for being contrary to UGC regulations, Khan on Sunday sought resignations of VCs of nine varsities in the state.
The VCs include that of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, according to a tweet by Kerala Raj Bhavan on behalf of the Governor.
"Upholding the verdict of Hon'ble Supreme Court dt 21.10.22 in Civil Appeal Nos.7634-7635 of 2022(@ SLP(c)Nos.21108-21109 of 2021), Hon'ble Governor Shri Arif Mohammed Khan has directed Vice Chancellors of 9 varsities in Kerala to tender resignation: PRO, KeralaRajBhavan," the tweet, accompanied by a list of the varsities, said.
The Raj Bhavan said the Kerala Governor also directed that the resignations reach him by 11.30 am on Monday.
This comes after the Supreme Court set aside the appointment of MS Rajasree as Vice-Chancellor of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.
A bench of justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar allowed the appeal filed by Professor Sreejith PS challenging the Kerala High Court order dated August 2, 2021.
The court noted that even as per Section 13(4) of the University Act, 2015, the Committee shall recommend unanimously a panel of not less than three suitable persons from amongst the eminent persons in the field of engineering sciences, which shall be placed before the Visitor/Chancellor.
As per the UGC Regulations, the Visitor/Chancellor shall appoint the Vice Chancellor out of the panel of names recommended by the Search Committee. Therefore, when only one name was recommended and the panel of names was not recommended, the Chancellor had no option to consider the names of the other candidates, the top court observed. (ANI)