Reach consensus or court will appoint VCs: SC to Kerala CM, Guv

The Supreme Court on Friday said it will intervene to resolve the ongoing deadlock over the selection of vice chancellors for two technical universities in Kerala if Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Governor-cum-chancellor Rajendra Arlekar do not reach a consensus. A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and PB Varale was hearing the matter related to the appointments of VCs of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, and the University of Digital Sciences Innovation and Technology.

The bench asked Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Governor, and senior advocate Jaideep Gupta, representing the Chief Minister, to find out some amicable solution to the impasse.

Venkataramani submitted that the Justice (Retd) Sudhanshu Dhulia committee had recommended two sets of names and the chancellor had picked two names. “The Chief Minister has some difficulty with some names. There are some common names,” the AG said.

Advocate Gupta said that the name, which is not acceptable to the chief minister, is the only one that the governor-cum-chancellor agrees upon.

“I think a resolution has to be found by this Court,” Gupta replied.

Justice Pardiwala told the senior counsels that the Justice Dhulia-led committee had recommended four names each for two universities and the governor and chief minister should appoint the most meritorious candidates from both the batches.

Noting that it will intervene and make the appointments itself if the consensus is not reached by December 9, the apex court said, “Reach consensus by Tuesday or we will appoint the vice chancellors and resolve the issue.” The top court has posted the matter for hearing on Thursday.

Venkataramani said the chancellor found two of the names figures in both the lists, then they are the best candidates to be recommended.

On November 28, the top court took serious exception to Kerala Governor and chancellor “not looking” at the Dhulia committee report on the appointment of vice chancellors of two universities and remarked that it is not just an ordinary piece of paper.

The top court had asked the Kerala Governor to take a call on the report within a week and apprise the decision to the apex court on December 5.