Thiruvananthapuram: The battle lines are drawn between Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and the State Government over a slew of issues. The recent flare-up in the tense equation has been caused by a few controversial appointments to universities. On Saturday the Senate of the University of Kerala passed a resolution against the Governor who also functions as the Chancellor of the University. But this was not unprecedented as a similar stand-off occurred over a decade ago!

Earlier, in 2010, while Dr A Jayakrishnan was the Vice Chancellor, the then Governor R S Gavai did not approve the Government’s nomination to the Senate. Protesting against this move by the Governor, the Senate members belonging to the CPM had then tried to pass a resolution against him but was objected to by the VC. The VC took the stand that a resolution against the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of the University, will not be allowed. Though the Senate witnessed a ruckus, the VC stuck to his stand.

In contrast, the current vice-chancellor VP Mahadevan Pillai didn't object when the Senate on passed a resolution on Saturday against Governor Khan and termed the latter's decision to constitute a Search Committee for selecting a new vice-chancellor without including its representatives as undemocratic.

The ‘Save University Campaign Committee’, which has been in the forefront of numerous campaign against unfair practices, has appealed to the Governor to take stringent action against the VC.

The present row started with the Governor forming a Search Committee for the VC appointment. The Committee was formed including the Governor himself and the representative of the University Grants Commission to find a replacement for the present VC whose tenure ends on October 25.

(As per the current law, the panel that appoints a new VC hould comprise a nominee of the Governor, University and the UGC.)

On July 15, the Senate assembled to select a representative for the Search Committee.  However, the VC informed the Governor that he has pulled back from the same. A new representative would be decided on after convening the Senate, it was told. Nevertheless, the Senate representative was not chosen in the meeting that was held yesterday. Instead, it was demanded that the Governor revoke his action of forming the Search Committee.

It is alleged that the Senate deliberately abstained from selecting the Senate representative for the Search committee. As per rules, a UGC representative must be included in the Search Committee. The Committee can move forward even without a Senate representative.