Kerala Assembly passes bill to remove Governor as Chancellor

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill - University Laws (Amendment) Bill - to remove the Governor from the post of Chancellor of universities.

Kerala law minister P Rajeev introduced the bill in the Assembly last Wednesday. As per the bill, the state government shall appoint an academician of high repute or a person of eminence as Chancellor of the university. The person can be from the field of science, technology, medicine, social science, humanities, literature, art, culture, law or public administration.

During the discussion on the bill, the Congress-led UDF Opposition said it was in favour of the bill but there was no need for separate Chancellors for each of the 14 varsities.

Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan said the UDF had come to a decision that there could be one Chancellor for all the universities. The person can be selected from retired Supreme Court judges and former Kerala High Court Chief Justices. He also suggested that the Chancellor can be picked by a panel of the Chief Minister, LoP and the Kerala HC Chief Justice.

The LoP opposed multiple Chancellors due to financial considerations. He said the financial implication of having 14 Chancellors would turn into a "white elephant". "Let there be only one Chancellor," he suggested. UML leader and MLA P K Kunhalikutty backed him and said that there is no doubt that the Governor has to be removed as Chancellor.

Kunhalikutty said no one can be allowed to behave as a government over the elected administration. "We are not at all in agreement with the recent conduct or actions of the Governor," he added.