The Supreme Court has sharply criticized the Kerala Governor for not acting on a report submitted by former Supreme Court judge Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia on appointing Vice Chancellors for two state universities. The Court said the report was a serious document prepared by an experienced judge and could not be ignored.
A Bench headed by Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan asked why the recommendations had not been implemented even though the committee had completed its work. The dispute originally began when the Kerala Government and the Governor disagreed over who had the authority to appoint Vice Chancellors at APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology.
To resolve the issue, the Supreme Court had appointed Justice Dhulia to lead a search and selection panel to shortlist suitable candidates. During the latest hearing, the Court said waiting for additional records was not a valid excuse for delay. The Bench directed the Governor to examine the recommendations and move forward without further postponement. It also said that it would later review whether the Governor’s final decision meets legal standards.
This matter is important because long delays in filling the Vice Chancellor posts affect university operations and academic progress. The Court’s intervention aims to stabilize higher education in Kerala and ensure leadership positions are filled quickly.
