Kochi: Kerala High Court on Thursday asked the Kerala University Senate to nominate a member within a month within a month to the search committee for the appointment of vice-chancellor (VC).

Justice Devan Ramachandran issued the order on a petition filed by senate member S Jayaram seeking a direction to the Chancellor to dissolve the senate if the university governing body fails to nominate a member to the search panel.

In its order, the court asked the governor, who is also the chancellor of state universities, to take appropriate steps as per law.

If the nominee is given within the stipulated time, then the chancellor should form the search committee and issue a notification in this regard.

The senate member moved the court after the senate did not name its representative to the search panel.

In a move deemed a rebuff to Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, the university senate omitted the selection of a representative from the agenda of a special senate meeting held in August. Only upon naming the senate representative can the VC appointment process be completed.

The delay in naming the senate representative will defeat the entire purpose as the term of the search committee is only three months.