Kerala HC declines KTU VC's interim plea to direct all Syndicate members to join meeting

Kochi: Kerala High Court on Tuesday declined to grant interim relief to Dr Sivaprasad, Vice Chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU), in a writ petition challenging the repeated absence of key government officials from the University’s Syndicate meetings.

Justice C S Dias observed that the interim relief sought was identical to the final relief, that the Syndicate meeting date had already lapsed, and that the matter was currently pending before the Supreme Court. The Court held that the VC had not met the criteria for interim relief and accordingly dismissed the request.

The petition alleged that the persistent absence of the Finance Secretary, Higher Education Secretary, and Director of Technical Education from Syndicate meetings had created an administrative deadlock, delaying salary and pension disbursals to university staff and retirees. The Vice Chancellor sought a direction to compel these officials to attend the 66th Syndicate meeting, scheduled for August 13, 2025.

During the hearing, senior counsel for the VC argued that the stalemate had caused “severe financial hardship” to employees and pensioners.

Opposing the plea, the State Attorney submitted that the petition was infructuous as the Syndicate meeting date had already passed. He also pointed out that the Supreme Court, through an order dated August 18, 2025, had appointed a former Supreme Court judge as Chairperson of the Search-cum-Selection Committee to identify the next Vice Chancellor, rendering the present plea untenable.

The Court posted the case for further hearing on September 15, 2025.
(With LiveLaw inputs)