Kerala HC grants more time to vice-chancellors to reply to show cause notices issued by Governor

Kochi (Kerala) [India], November 4 (ANI): The Kerala High Court on Thursday extended the date for university vice-chancellors to send their replies to the chancellor’s show cause notice issued by the Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan.
While considering the petition filed by the vice-chancellors against the notice, the court extended the date till November 7 at 5 pm.
This ruling came while the time granted earlier expired at 5 pm on Thursday.
Single Bench of Justice Devan Ramachandran also held, “The Vice Chancellors will also be at liberty to simultaneously ask for a personal hearing either in the said objection or through a supplementary request.”
The court will consider the case on November 8.
On Wednesday, seven Vice Chancellors approached the High Court against the show-cause notice issued by the Kerala Governor who is also the Chancellor of Universities. They sought to cancel the notice and contended that it is illegal.
In the plea, the VCs are demanding the cancellation of the show cause notice.
None of the VCs have responded to the show-cause notice of the Chancellor (Governor) so far. The deadline to reply to the notice was 5 pm on November 3.
Khan on October 24 had served show cause notices to Vice Chancellors (VCs)of nine universities and asked them to explain why their appointment should not be declared illegal. The Governor alleged the violation of University Grants Commission (UGC) norms in the appointment process.
Khan had sought the resignation of VCs of the University of Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi University, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kannur University, APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, University of Calicut and Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University.
Notably, the HC had declared that the VCs can continue in their posts until removed by the Governor after getting their explanations for the show cause notice.
Justice Ramachandran made the earlier declaration while disposing of the petitions filed by the VCs of eight universities after Governor Arif Mohammed Khan asked them to resign from the post citing the Supreme Court judgment that quashed the appointment of the VC of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University.
The VCs of the University of Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi University, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kannur University, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, the University of Calicut and Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University had challenged the Chancellor’s communication in the court. (ANI)