Kerala University VC Appointment Saga: Supreme Court Awaits Dhulia's Report

The Supreme Court has opted to wait for a report from former Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia before deciding on a plea by Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar. The plea seeks to remove Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan from a panel tasked with recommending Vice Chancellors for two state universities.

The Governor's request, presented by Attorney General R Venkataramani, underscores the urgency of determining the authority over Vice Chancellor appointments. Venkataramani cited a previous court order restoring the Chancellor's appointing authority and referenced a similar dispute in West Bengal that involved former CJI U U Lalit as a mediator.

The bench, led by Justices J B Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan, indicated a holistic review upon receiving Justice Dhulia's report. The Kerala Governor argues that the chief minister's involvement contradicts UGC regulations and lacks precedent within the university acts, prompting calls for a modification of a prior court ruling.

(With inputs from agencies.)