VC appointments: Quo Warranto pleas in High Court crucial

The uncertainty over the VC appointments would end once the High Court decides on the Quo Warranto petitions and the case filed by the VCs against the Governor’s notice. Photo: Special Arrangement

Thiruvananthapuram: The Quo Warranto petitions filed in the High Court would seal the fate of the Vice Chancellors who have been served show cause notice by the Chancellor.

The petitions have been filed by the senior lecturers with the Department of Higher Education against the VCs facing the threat of termination for violating the norms of the University Grants Commission. The uncertainty over the VC appointments would end once the High Court decides on the Quo Warranto petitions and the case filed by the VCs against the Governor’s notice.

The Governor, who is also the Chancellor, had issued show cause notices to the 11 VCs after the Supreme Court cancelled the appointment of the Kerala Technical University (KTU) VC. The notice demanded to cite causes, if any, not to terminate them from the post of VCs.

The VCs had moved the High Court against this notice. Even as the HC is to pronounce a verdict on this case, Quo Warranto petitions have been filed seeking to declare the VCs appointed against the UGC norms ineligible to continue in their office, in the background of the SC order.

The VCs have argued in the HC that the Governor has no authority to terminate them and that only the Court can cancel their appointments. It is amid these developments that the Quo Warranto petitions have been filed against the VCs. The VCs might have to respond to these petitions. The hearing for the pleas filed so far would be on January 27. With this, the Governor is awaiting the Court ruling regarding the future of the VCs.

What is a Quo Warranto?
The term ‘Quo Warranto’ means ‘what is your authority?’. A petition of Quo Warranto can be filed with the Supreme Court or the High Court seeking to explain the right of a person to hold a public office in cases where an appointment has not been made in accordance with the norms.

The position held should be in a public office and the appointment must be based on the specified norms.

The VCs with the Agricultural University and the Kerala University who have completed their tenure and the Kannur VC whose case is pending with the SC, have been excluded from the Quo warranto plea. Malayalam University VC who is to step down in early February would also be exempted from the Quo Wararnto petition.

Following a Quo Warranto filed against the Fisheries University VC earlier, he had to step down from the position.

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