The Kerala High Court on Thursday declined to stay the temporary appointment of Dr. K Sivaprasad as the vice-chancellor of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU).

A single bench of Justice Ziyad Rehman rejected the Kerala government’s request to stay the appointment of Dr.K Sivaprasd, observing that his absence could not be allowed.

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The state government’s counsel argued that the governor in his capacity as Chancellor of the university had made the appointment of Sivaprasad violating the university rules requiring appointment from the government list and had pleaded to stay the appointment . But the Governor’s (Chancellor’s) counsel told the court that there were no qualified persons in this panel

Sidelining the state government’s recommendations, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, on Wednesday, appointed a new vice-chancellors for the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) and the Digital University, Kerala (DUK). The two appointments have been made on a temporary basis.

Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, in his capacity as the Chancellor, appointed Dr. K Sivaprasad, Professor, Department of Ship Technology, Cusat, as the vice chancellor of KTU until further orders. The Governor also appointed Ciza Thomas, former vice-chancellor (VC) of KTU as the VC of the digital varsity

A Raj Bhavan notification said the two academics shall exercise the powers and perform the duties of the vice-chancellor, pending the appointment of a VC in both varsities on a permanent basis

The new VC appointments were necessitated after the term of DUK Vice Chancellor Saji Gopinath, who was also VC in-charge of KTU, ended last
month. The state government had submitted panels of senior professors to officiate as VCs in both universities. However, citing a Supreme Court verdict on VC appointments, the Governor had maintained that the government cannot have any role in the selection process.