Kerala VC Appointment Deadlock Ends: Supreme Court Hails ‘Happy Ending’, Keeps Legal Issues Open

The Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan noted that the appointments have finally been made following the Court’s intervention, bringing to an end a prolonged stalemate that had left both universities without permanent Vice-Chancellors.

The controversy arose due to differences between the Kerala Governor, in his capacity as Chancellor, and the State Government over the appointment process. In view of the deadlock, the Supreme Court had earlier appointed Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia to shortlist names for the Vice-Chancellor posts to break the impasse.

During the hearing, the Attorney General, appearing for the Governor, informed the Court that the matter had been resolved and that the development had been duly communicated to Justice Dhulia.

Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta, appearing for the State of Kerala, submitted that an appointment order should not have been issued while the matter was still pending before the Court. He pointed out that an affidavit had been filed by the State and sought time to respond.

Justice Pardiwala, however, observed that the Court’s primary concern had always been to ensure that appointments were made. “Our concern was that the appointments must be made,” he said, adding that the objective was to ensure that the selected candidates were meritorious.

When Gupta reiterated that the main legal issues were still pending, the Bench responded that those questions would remain open for consideration. “Let’s put an end to this. We have to make sure that they are meritorious,” Justice Pardiwala remarked.

Referring to the Court’s earlier order dated December 11, Justice Pardiwala recalled that the Bench had noted positive developments and emphasised that timely and decisive judicial intervention can go a long way in protecting the rights of citizens. He observed that both universities had remained “rudderless” for a prolonged period due to the lack of consensus between the Governor and the State Government, prompting the Court to step in.

The judge noted that Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia was entrusted with the task of recommending at least three names for the Vice-Chancellor posts. “Today, we are happy that the Chancellor and the Government, in one voice, have reported that the appointment of the Vice-Chancellors has been made,” he said.

The Bench placed its appreciation on record for Justice Dhulia’s role and thanked the authorities for acting in aid of the Court. It also appreciated the assistance rendered by the Attorney General, Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta and their respective teams, remarking that the matter had reached a “very happy ending”.

The Court clarified that all questions of law arising from the dispute have been kept open for future adjudication.