In a significant breakthrough, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Governor Arlekar have put aside their differences to jointly appoint vice chancellors for two key state universities. This consensus ends a prolonged stalemate that had reached the doors of the Supreme Court.
A Surprise Consensus After Court Pressure
Exercising his authority as the chancellor of state universities, Governor Rajendra Arlekar on Tuesday formally appointed Dr. Ciza Thomas as the Vice Chancellor of Kerala Technological University (KTU) and Dr. Saji Gopinath as the VC of the Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology (Digital University Kerala). The appointment orders were issued after the Chief Minister and the Governor arrived at a mutual understanding on the candidates, a move that surprised many given their earlier opposition to each other's preferred nominees.
The decision was formally communicated to the Sudhanshu Dhulia Committee, which was appointed by the Supreme Court specifically to identify eligible candidates for these posts. The appointments will now be reported to the Supreme Court on December 18. This development comes directly after the apex court warned that it would step in and appoint the VCs itself if the two constitutional authorities failed to find common ground.
Background of the Conflict and Legal Battles
The path to this agreement was fraught with conflict. Chief Minister Vijayan had previously urged the Governor not to consider Dr. Ciza Thomas for any VC position. The relationship between the state government and Dr. Thomas had been strained since the former Governor, Arif Mohammed Khan, appointed her as KTU VC against the government's wishes. The government later withheld her pensionary benefits, leading to a legal battle that Dr. Thomas eventually won.
On the other hand, Governor Arlekar had opposed the appointment of Dr. Saji Gopinath, citing adverse reports against him. Sources close to the Raj Bhavan claimed the Governor prevailed by securing his preferred candidate for KTU, while government sources countered that the Chief Minister ensured his nominee was appointed to lead the Digital University.
Supreme Court's Role in Breaking the Deadlock
The entire appointment process for VCs at DUK and KTU had been dragged to the Supreme Court after the Governor and the state government attempted to form separate search-cum-selection committees on their own terms. The Supreme Court intervened, directing both sides to reach a consensus and appointing an independent committee to prepare a panel of eligible candidates.
However, even after the committee submitted its list, the disagreement persisted, prompting the court's stern warning of direct intervention. The court then asked the Dhulia Committee to submit one name each for the two posts. It was against this pressing backdrop that the consensus was finally reached, leading to the current appointments. Both newly appointed vice chancellors will serve a term of four years.
This resolution not only fills crucial leadership vacancies but also sets a precedent for cooperative governance between the state's executive and gubernatorial offices, under the watchful eye of the judiciary.
