Kerala HC declines to stay Ciza Thomas's appointment as interim VC of KTU

Kochi (Kerala) [India], November 8 (ANI): Kerala High Court on Tuesday declined to stay the appointment of Ciza Thomas as Vice Chancellor in-charge of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) in Thiruvananthapuram.
The Kerala government had requested the court to stay the appointment that was ordered by Kerala Governor Arif Muhammad Khan, chancellor of the state universities.
Ciza Thomas is the senior joint director of the directorate of technical education.
Kerala Governor on Thursday appointed Ciza Thomas rejecting the government's recommendation to hand over the responsibility of Vice Chancellor in charge to the state higher education principal secretary Ishita Roy who is an IAS.
"In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section 7 of Section 13 of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University Act, 2015 (Act 17 of 2015), read with clause 7.3 of the UGC Regulations, 2018, the Chancellor of the University is pleased to order that pending the appointment of a regular Vice Chancellor in the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University. Prof. (Dr.) Ciza Thomas, Senior Joint Director, Directorate of Technical Education, Thiruvananthapuram, shall exercise the powers and perform the duties of the Vice Chancellor, APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University with immediate effect, in addition to her normal duties, until further orders," the notification issued by the Raj Bhavan stated.
The Supreme Court in October sacked Dr Rajasree MS from the Vice Chancellor post citing a violation of UGC norms.
A bench of justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar allowed the appeal filed by Professor Sreejith P.S. challenging the Kerala High Court order dated August 2, 2021.
As per the UGC Regulations also, 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.
Therefore, the appointment of the respondent Rajasree can be said to be dehors and/or contrary to the provisions of the UGC Regulations as well as even to the University Act, 2015, the top court noted. (ANI)