A meeting of the General Council of Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) convened on February 9 (Friday) to nominate a representative to the search-cum-selection committee to appoint the next Vice-Chancellor was adjourned after several members abstained from the meeting.
The meeting of the university’s supreme body was called on the basis of the ultimatum issued by Governor Arif Mohammed Khan two weeks ago to nominate its representative to the committee within a month.
B. Ashok, who has been holding the post of Vice-Chancellor in-charge since March last, chaired the meeting that was attended by a little over 10 people, the quorum required to convene a meeting of the statutory body.
The General Council comprises 49 members including 20 ex-officio members and 15 elected members. Eleven posts reserved for the Chancellor’s nominees have not been filled yet.
While all elected CPI (M) and CPI-backed members abstained from the meeting, four Congress representatives were present. Prior to the meeting, a few members had expressed their inability in attending the meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram. While the Vice-Chancellor had provided them an opportunity to take part in the meeting through video-conference, the proposal did not find favour among several members.
This prompted the The Vice-Chancellor to adjourn the meeting to February 13 to enable a greater participation in the discussion. Registering their protest against the move, the Congress members accused the Vice-Chancellor of succumbing to pressure from various quarters.
Despite the postponement, the LDF members are likely to abstain from the rescheduled meeting in accordance with the political stance of the CPI (M)-led coalition.
Kerala University and the Cochin University of Science and Technology have also convened meetings to discuss the Governor’s direction next week.
