Insisting that he had ceased to discharge the responsibilities of the Chancellor of State Universities on December 8, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan said on Wednesday that the notice served by the Kerala High Court on the reappointment of Kannur University Vice Chancellor has been forwarded to the government.
Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a function here, Mr. Khan reiterated he did not deal with university matters any longer and that the notice had been issued “to the Chancellor and not Arif Mohammed Khan”.
The High Court had sought the response of the Chancellor, who is the first respondent, on a plea that challenged the appointment of Gopinath Ravindran as Kannur University Vice Chancellor.
The Governor said he was informed by Raj Bhavan of receipt of the notice. “Like all other files, we are sending it to the government. It is up to the government to decide (on a future course) since the notice was sent to the Chancellor and not to me personally,” he said.
To a question, he claimed he was not being adamant. “This is not a question of prestige. Governors have been made Chancellors to ensure non-interference by the government of the day. Take it over by all means if you wish to interfere (in matters pertaining to universities).”
With the plea scheduled to be taken up for hearing at the High Court on January 12, the Governor’s move is likely to put the government in a fix.
