The Kerala High Court's decision to overturn Governor Arif Mohammad Khan's nominations to the Kerala University Senate while upholding the state government's list marks a significant development in the ongoing power struggle between the Governor and the state administration.
The court's ruling quashing the appointment of four members nominated by Governor Khan and directing him to select fresh nominees within six weeks is a setback for the Governor, who had nominated alleged members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) to the senate.
The nominations sparked a confrontation between the Governor and the Students' Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the ruling CPI(M), leading to public clashes.
The court's decision came in response to pleas filed by four students challenging the nominations, alleging that the Chancellor did not follow proper procedures and nominated individuals without merit.
In its judgment, the court emphasized that the Chancellor's power to make nominations is not unbridled and must adhere to principles of reasonableness, rationality, impartiality, fairness, and equity. It deemed the nominations made by the Governor as inappropriate and quashed them.
The ruling was welcomed by the Left government in Kerala and the CPI(M), with State Law Minister P Rajeev emphasizing that university Chancellors cannot act as sovereign republics. CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan characterized the decision as a setback for the Governor's political maneuvers.
SFI leaders hailed the court's decision as a victory against the Sangh Parivar and called for Governor Khan's resignation from the position of Chancellor.
Overall, the court's verdict underscores the importance of adhering to established procedures and principles in governance and highlights the checks and balances inherent in the democratic system.
