7 months ago
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Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar connected Sunday (December 14, 2025) openly criticised the Supreme Court implicit its involution successful the assignment of Vice-Chancellors (V-Cs) successful Digital University Kerala (DUK) and APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU).
The Governor deplored the inclination of 1 instauration usurping the relation of different successful a democracy. He said the powerfulness to amend the Constitution is vested with the Parliament and elected legislature, and the courts are determination to ‘interpret the Constitution and not to amend the Constitution.’
Award given
Mr. Arlekar was speaking portion conferring the Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer Award 2025, instituted by The Law Trust, to erstwhile Chief Justice of India and erstwhile Kerala Governor P. Sathasivam astatine a ceremonial held successful Thiruvananthapuram connected Sunday.
Referring to the ongoing quality implicit V-C appointments, the Governor asserted that the authorization to name the V-Cs rests with the Chancellor arsenic laid down successful the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations. The norm was besides upheld successful the Supreme Court’s verdict quashing the reappointment of Gopinath Ravindran arsenic the V-C of Kannur University.
However, the apex tribunal was present overlooking specified provisions, a inclination which helium described arsenic incorrect.
“Kannur University verdict honours the close of the Chancellor to prime the V-Cs. But aft immoderate time, the precise aforesaid provisions are being ignored by the Supreme Court and its judges,” helium remarked.
The Governor questioned the apex court’s determination to name hunt committees for selecting the V-Cs for DUK and KTU. “Search committees should beryllium appointed by the Chancellor. In the Kannur University judgment, they (the court) accepted this fact. But, aboriginal on, the judges accidental “no, the hunt committee volition beryllium appointed by us. You person to travel this (the court’s decision)”,” Mr. Arlekar said.
According to the Governor, specified actions magnitude to judicial overreach. “Taking (away) the tasks of each instauration and doing them themselves (by the courts) is not correct,” helium said, portion reiterating that the courts should lone guarantee that the instrumentality is followed and that each instauration indispensable relation wrong its ain domain.
The Governor’s remarks travel successful the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s involution successful the ongoing V-C quality successful Kerala. Adopting a steadfast basal successful the issue, the apex tribunal precocious came down heavy connected the nonaccomplishment of the Governor and the State authorities successful arriving astatine a statement successful appointing the V-Cs. The tribunal besides directed the committee headed by erstwhile Supreme Court justice Sudhanshu Dhulia to urge names for the posts.
Speaking connected the occasion, Mr. Sathasivam said that courts person to stay committed to Justice Krishna Iyer’s humanist ideals adjacent erstwhile nine is turning progressively ‘digital’. Kerala High Court judges N. Nagaresh, K. Babu and A. Badarudeen were contiguous connected the occasion.
