The Kerala Loka Ayukta has ordered the State government to furnish relevant files regarding Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala's petition accusing Higher Education Minister R. Bindu of overstepping her constitutional bounds by "pressurising" Governor Arif Mohamed Khan to extend the tenure of the Kannur University Vice Chancellor beyond the retirement age.
A division bench headed by Lok Ayukta Cyriac Joseph and Upa Loka Ayukta Haroon R. Rashid tasked the Director General of Prosecution and Special Attorney, Lok Ayukta, K. M. Shaji, to present the files in the court.
Mr. Chennithala had told the court that he could not proceed against Ms. Bindu because Raj Bhavan had not responded to an RTI application seeking the production of relevant files and communications. The reluctance had impeded him from pursuing the matter in the Lok Ayukta.
Mr. Chennithala had accused Ms. Bindu of violating the autonomy of varsities and indulging in "nepotism, corruption and maladministration" to insert the next of kin of CPI(M) functionaries into academic posts. He alleged that Ms. Bindu had also written to the Governor to disband the expert committee to select the next Kannur University Vice Chancellor.
