Not opposed to removal of Governor as Chancellor, No need for 14 chancellors: UDF

The Congress-led UDF opposition on Tuesday said that they were not opposed to removal of the Governor as Chancellor of universities in the state, but there was no need for separate Chancellors for each of the 14 varsities. Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan said that UDF, after discussions, has come to a decision that there need be only one Chancellor and can be selected from amongst retired Supreme Court judges and former Kerala High Court chief justices.

The Chancellor can be selected by a panel comprising the Chief Minister, LoP and the Kerala HC chief justice, Satheesan said.

"This is our alternative proposal with regard to who should be Chancellor and the procedure to be followed for the same," he said.


The LoP said the financial implication of having 14 Chancellors would turn into a "white elephant".

"Let there be only one Chancellor," he suggested and was supported by IUML leader and MLA P K Kunhalikutty with the latter also saying "there is no doubt that the Governor has to be removed as Chancellor".

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

The opposition's suggestion or alternative was submitted in the House during discussions on the University Laws (Amendment) Bills, which aim to replace the Governor as the Chancellor of universities in the state and appoint eminent academicians in the top post.