Thiruvananthapuram: Even as the standoff between Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and the State Government continues, the role of the former's Principal Secretary who is now eyeing a shift to Delhi is under the scanner.
Sources in the corridors of power say Principal Secretary Dr Davendra Kumar Dhodawat, IAS, is reluctant to implement the directives of the Governor on controversial issues. Dr Dhodawat likely doesn't want to earn the displeasure of the State government and hence going slow in executing orders like the one regarding the short-listing of a new Vice Chancellor (VC) for the University of Kerala.
The Governor had on August 5 constituted a search committee for the appointment of a new VC for the University of Kerala. Subsequently, a notification has to be issued inviting applications for the VC appointment. The Governor had directed the Secretary to issue the notification, but he has not reportedly complied.
The Secretary's stance is that the Director of the Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode, who is the search committee convenor, should be tasked with issuing the notification. And it is alleged that the pressure exerted by the government to delay the proceedings for VC appointment is behind this.
The three-month tenure of the search committee would end on November 4. As the notification inviting applications for the VC appointment is yet to be issued, the committee would cease to exist after November 5. Taking this into account, Higher Education Minister R Bindu had said that the senate would meet on November 4 to select a representative.
The 'tardiness' of the secretary helps the CPM stance that a senate representative would be selected only if the search committee is dissolved by the Governor.
[Earlier, such notification used to be issued by the Higher Education Secretary. There are no special provisions in the University rules regarding this. In states such as Goa, the notification is issued by the Governor's office.]
Dr Dhodawat's unilateral action regarding a matter of the Kannur University had earlier embarrassed the government too.
The Governor had sought an explanation from the Kannur University VC over a complaint that a college had been granted sanction unlawfully by the University. However, the VC had justified his stance in a letter. Without bringing this to the Governor's attention, the Secretary on his own stalled any further action on the complaint and furnished a reply to the complainant, Save University Campaign Committee. But the High Court later quashed the decision of the government and VC to grant sanction for the college.
Dr Dhodawat has meanwhile applied for central deputation.
Governor's FB account hacked
The Facebook account of Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has been hacked.
The person, responsible for managing the page, could not open the account on Saturday morning. After a complaint was lodged with the state police chief, the hi-tech cell has started a probe and efforts are on to restore the account.
The personal account has over 2.5 lakh followers.