Governor Says Courts Cannot Appoint Vice-Chancellors, Questions Supreme Court’s Role

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has openly challenged the Supreme Court’s intervention in the appointment of vice-chancellors in state universities, asserting that courts have no constitutional authority to directly appoint heads of academic institutions. His remarks have added a fresh dimension to the ongoing institutional standoff involving Raj Bhavan, the state government, and the judiciary.

Speaking at a public function, the Governor argued that the power to appoint vice-chancellors is vested with the Chancellor, a role constitutionally assigned to the Governor under university statutes and UGC regulations. He maintained that while courts may interpret laws and issue directions, they cannot assume executive functions such as selecting or appointing vi