The Kerala High Court on Monday ordered an interim stay on the resignation of the Vice-Chancellors (V-Cs) of nine state-run universities till the Governor, who also serves as the chancellor, takes a final call on the matter. On Sunday, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan sent show-cause notices to the V-Cs asking them to submit their responses by November 3 over why they should be allowed to continue over certain procedural lapses in their selection, which he said was in contravention to a recent Supreme Court ruling. 

Khan had asked the V-Cs to tender their resignation by Monday, stating that they were “either appointed from single-name panels or recommended by the search/ selection committee with non-academician as member,” reported The Indian Express. 

The interim relief to the V-Cs came after they had approached the Kerala HC, arguing that the principles of natural justice were violated as they were not given a proper hearing before they were asked to step down. The HC, in its order, said that since a notice was already sent out to the V-Cs, the resignation letter served earlier by the Governor holds no relevance. 

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday told the media that the Governor had no constitutional authority to seek resignation. Vijayan said that the Governor was trying to “wage war” in a bid to “destroy” the state universities. 

“There is a violation of natural justice in this intervention in the field of higher education. The unilateral move by the Chancellor was without even hearing the vice chancellors,” Vijayan further said, adding that the Governor acted in haste. CM Vijayan said that the University Act doesn’t give chancellor the authority to remove a V-C.

In his defense, Khan said that he would have only violated the principles of natural justice had he asked the V-Cs to step down all of a sudden.