The standoff over the appointment of vice‑chancellors at Kerala’s Technological and Digital Universities intensified on Wednesday, after a high‑level meeting failed to bring the parties to any agreement. Law Minister P. Rajeev and Higher Education Minister R. Bindu met Governor Rajendra Arlekar at the Lok Bhavan as part of a reconciliation drive triggered by stern remarks from the Supreme Court.
The hour‑long session ended without progress, as both sides held fast to their positions. Governor Arlekar insisted that the candidates he had put forward were fully qualified and asked the ministers why Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had not joined the talks. He also complained that he had received no clear explanation for the way the Chief Minister had prioritized the nominations.
The dispute flared up after the Governor filed a fresh affidavit in the Supreme Court opposing the Chief Minister’s nominees. While the Chief Minister had recommended C. Satheesh Kumar for the Kerala Technological University and Saji Gopinath for the Digital University, the Governor wanted Ciza Thomas to lead the former and Dr Priya Chandran to head the latter. He alleged that the Chief Minister had ignored merit by sidelining Thomas.
The Supreme Court, which is currently hearing the case, has voiced strong dissatisfaction with the ongoing deadlock. Justice J.B. Pardiwala’s bench warned that if the two search committees—led by Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia—cannot produce a consensus, the court may step in and appoint the vice‑chancellors itself.
Kerala’s government maintains that appointments must be made strictly from the panel presented by the Chief Minister, although it signals a willingness to reach a negotiated settlement. With the latest talks collapsing, all attention now turns to the Supreme Court, whose next move is likely to settle this high‑profile constitutional showdown.
To defuse tensions, Rajeev said that discussions would continue after the meeting with the Governor ended without resolution.
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