Kerala Guv stays Syndicate polls in Calicut University
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Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan stayed the Calicut University Syndicate Election. Using his authority as the Chancellor of the University, he intervened during the election after the Registrar of the university and returning officer for the elections rejected the nominations of two professors whom the Governor nominated. He had ordered the Vice Chancellor for clarification over the rejection of the nominations.
The Registrar declined the nomination of Dr P Ravindran and TM Vasudevan, citing Section 17 of the Calicut University Act, 1975. According to Section 17, only elected can be candidates for ‘university teacher’ posts.
However, the Raj Bhavan explained that Vasudevan was nominated as the head of the department and Ravindran as the representative of the research institute. Senate members can contest Syndicate elections as per university rules. It has also been clarified that both of them submitted the papers on the basis of this.
Meanwhile, the Governor asked the VCs to give a representative to the search committee for the appointment of the vice-chancellor. The Governor warned that he should be informed within a month. Otherwise, he would form a committee on his own and make the appointment.
Meanwhile, state Congress welcomed the Governor’s move to stay the elections.