2 hours Ago
KOCHI: The appointment of Dr Ciza Thomas, vice chancellor of the University of Technology, has stoked a controversy again. Governor Arif Mohammad Khan said the high court verdict is in his favour and that he has the complete right to appoint the vice chancellor. He told media to come with questions after studying the court verdict in full.
Khan’s words 'I am not going to respond to the comments of higher education minister. She has every right to say whatever she wants to say and express her opinion. Everyone has the right to express their opinion in democracy.
After knowing the decision on this matter which was under the consideration of the high court, I used the powers vested in me as the head of the university under the UGC Regulation Act. People in universities were not receiving certificates that has to be signed by the vice chancellor in due time. The high court verdict came the other day.
Why did I not appoint anyone else in the last one month? Because clarity from the high court was essential in this regard. The high court verdict was that the chancellor has the power. The Supreme Court’s observation is that the state has no power to interfere in university matters.
Instead of reading and understanding the court verdict, the media is creating sensations.' The Governor had earlier issued an order appointing Dr Ciza Thomas as the vice chancellor of the Cochin Technological University. The government had approached the court against this action of the Governor.
The Governor said that the court is now convinced that he is doing things according to the law. Meanwhile, the higher education minister had accused the Governor the other day that the appointment of the vice chancellor was against the high court order..
