Tue May 27 14:23:58 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and a news article based on the provided text:
**Summary:**
The Kerala High Court has ordered a “status quo” on the Governor’s appointment of temporary Vice-Chancellors for two state universities until May 30th. The VCs cannot make policy decisions or take coercive action. This follows appeals by the Chancellor and the temporary VCs against a single bench ruling that deemed the appointments unsustainable due to a lack of state government recommendation, citing UGC norms. The Chancellor argues that the Supreme Court has recognized the Chancellor’s independent authority in VC appointments. The matter is scheduled for a hearing on Thursday.
**News Article:**
**Kerala High Court Halts Vice-Chancellor Appointments, Pending Hearing**
KOCHI (May 27, 2025) – The Kerala High Court has issued an interim order imposing a “status quo” on the appointments of temporary Vice-Chancellors (VCs) to the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and the Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology. The order, issued on Tuesday, extends until May 30th and restricts the appointed VCs from making any policy decisions or taking coercive actions.
The ruling stems from appeals filed by the Governor, in his capacity as Chancellor of the universities, and the temporary VCs, K. Sivaprasad and Ciza Thomas. They are challenging a previous single bench order that deemed their appointments unsustainable, citing a lack of recommendation from the State government as a violation of established legal procedures and UGC norms.
The Chancellor argues that the Supreme Court has recognized the independent authority of the Chancellor in appointing VCs. The single bench had previously cited the absence of state government recommendations in the appointment process. The case is now scheduled for a further hearing on Thursday. The situation is being closely watched as it raises questions about the balance of power between the Governor, the State government, and university governance.
First Piper 