HC quashes VC’s appointment by Kerala governor

KOCHI: Kerala High Court on Monday quashed the appointment of K. Sivaprasad, Professor, Department of Ship Technology, CUSAT, as temporary Vice Chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU).

- AM Abdussalam

The appointment was made by then governor Arif Mohammed Khan, whose tenure was marked by intermittent clashes with Left Democratic Front (LDF) government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Government's petition against arbitrary appointments made by governor Khan is pending before the Supreme Court.

While allowing a petition filed by the state government, Justice Gopinath P, however, made it clear that the declaration will not have the effect of dislodging Sivaprasad from the office as his tenure is to expire on May 27. Besides, the court observed that it need not at present interfere with the appointment as frequently changing persons holding the office may not be conducive to the interest of the university and its students.

The court, meanwhile, upheld the notification of the Chancellor appointing Ciza Thomas as temporary V-C of the Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology as it found that the University Act empowered the Chancellor to make such a temporary appointment.