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Institutions should know, respect limits: Kerala Governor, days after Supreme Court asked panel to recommend VCs

The Governor and the Kerala govt have been in a deadlock over the appointment of VCs in 2 state universities

2 min readThiruvananthapuramDec 15, 2025 08:01 AM IST

Kerala Governor Rajendran Vishwanath Arlekar

Days after the Supreme Court intervened to end the deadlock between Kerala’s Governor and Chief Minister in the appointment of vice chancellors in two universities, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Sunday said that the health of a democracy’s functioning depends upon institutions “knowing and respecting” their limits.

Hearing a matter pertaining to the appointment of VCs of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and the University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked a committee headed by retired Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia to recommend names for the posts of the VCs in these universities.

The court intervention came amid a deadlock between the Governor and the government, who had been unable to reach a consensus on the matter. The Governor had moved the top court, challenging the order of the division bench of the Kerala High Court disposing of a plea filed against a single judge’s order setting aside the November 27, 2024, notification appointing Professor K Sivaprasad of Cochin University of Science and Technology as Vice Chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University.

Governor Arlekar was speaking at an event to confer the Justice V R Krishna Iyer Award to former Chief Justice of India, P Sathasivam, who had also served as Kerala Governor.

At the event, Arlekar deplored what he said was the tendency of one institution usurping the role of another in a democracy.

He said that the power to amend the Constitution is vested with the Parliament and elected legislature, and the courts are there to “interpret the Constitution and not to amend the Constitution”.

“Contradictory interpretations and verdicts on the same matter are not in the true spirit of the Constitution,” he said.

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A statement issued by the Lok Bhavan said, “He was referring to the three-member Supreme Court judgement on Kannur University Vice Chancellor appointment earlier, which upheld the supremacy of the Chancellor in the appointment process.” The Governor is the Chancellor of most state universities in Kerala.

Shaju Philip

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More

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