Kochi: In the ongoing university appointment row, the Kerala High Court asked Kerala University Senate members on Tuesday why they were creating controversies by not nominating a person to the search committee for appointing a Vice-Chancellor to the university.
The Senate members were earlier removed by Governor Arif Mohammed Khan.
The court said it was worried about the students of the university and asked how the varsity can function without a VC.
The court was hearing a plea filed by the ousted senate members challenging the Governor's action as Chancellor of Universities in the state.
During the hearing, the court asked the university whether someone can be nominated to the search committee by November 4 to which the varsity said more time was required.
The court did not accept the university's response and told it not to "play hide and seek".
The court observed that the entire problem would come to an end if the senate nominates a person and asked whether it plans to do so in the meeting to be held on November 4.
The court listed the matter on Wednesday for an explanation from the university on whether a person would be nominated on November 4.
It also directed that no new VC would be appointed for now.
The court had on October 21 prevented the Governor from appointing new members to the senate of Kerala University to replace the 15 Senate members removed by him in his capacity as the chancellor of universities.
In their plea, the ousted senate members have sought quashing of the notification issued by the Governor, as the chancellor of universities in the state, contending that it was an illegal order.
The notification was issued as his October 15 direction to the Vice-Chancellor of Kerala University to immediately remove the Senate members had not been complied with.
The gazette notification had said that by a letter dated October 15, 2022, the order of the Chancellor withdrawing his pleasure, with effect from that day, in allowing the Senate members to continue was communicated.
"Now, therefore, in pursuance to this, the Chancellor is also pleased to notify the withdrawal of the above Senate members nominated as per the above provisions with effect from October 15, 2022," the notification had said.
Khan had ordered the removal of Senate members after his repeated directions to hold a senate meeting and provide a nominee of the Senate for the selection committee went unheeded, sources in Raj Bhavan had said.
The selection committee was to appoint a Vice-Chancellor, the sources had said.
(With PTI inputs)
