Kannur University V.C. Dr. Despite receiving notice from the Supreme Court on the petition against the re-appointment of Gopinath Ravindran, the counsel for the Governor, who is also the Chancellor, did not appear. But the Supreme Court sought four weeks’ time to reply to the notice. Gopinath Ravindran’s lawyer wrote to the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Kannur University filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that the UGC rules are not applicable for re-appointment. The state government has also not yet filed a reply affidavit in the Supreme Court in the case.
Kannur University Senate Member Dr. Premachandran Keezhot, Academic Council Member Shino P. Jose is Dr. Gopinath approached the Supreme Court questioning the re-appointment of Ravindran. A bench headed by Justice Abdul Nazir heard the petition of the duo and sent notice to the opposing party, including the chancellor, in April. But even after eight months, no lawyer for the governor, who is also the chancellor, has been appointed yet. It remains unclear which lawyer will appear before the Supreme Court for the Governor who is the Chancellor.
CK Shashi, standing consul of the state government, appeared on behalf of the governor in the technical university case. But after the relationship between the state government and the governor deteriorated, it was Venkitta Subramaniam who stood up for the governor in the case related to the appointment of the VC of Fisheries University, which came up for consideration by the Supreme Court. But there is still no clarity as to who will appear in the Supreme Court on behalf of the Governor in the case related to the re-appointment of the Kannur University VC.
The Supreme Court will hear the case related to re-appointment of Kannur VC on January 2. VC’s lawyer Anirudh Sanganeria has sent a letter to the Supreme Court Registrar seeking adjournment of the case on that day. The VC has sought four weeks’ time to file its reply. The state government, the opposite party in the case, has not yet filed its reply.
UGC rule not applicable for re-appointment : Kannur University
Kannur University has said that the UGC Rules 2018 related to appointment of VC are not applicable for re-appointment. This was stated in the affidavit filed in the Supreme Court. Dr. as VC followed all the procedures. Appointment of Gopinath Ravindran. Therefore, it is stated in the affidavit that the re-appointment does not need to be followed again. An upper age limit of 60 years is fixed only for the first appointment. The affidavit also pointed out that no upper age limit is applicable for re-appointment.