Kerala Governor Urges Universities to Cover Legal Costs in V-C Appointment Dispute

Speedy Summary

• Kerala Raj Bhavan has written to APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) adn Digital university kerala (DKU), requesting payment for legal expenses related to a Supreme Court case about Vice-Chancellor appointments.
• The Raj Bhavan instructed the universities to jointly provide ₹11 lakh towards lawyers’ fees incurred during August 2025. Each university is directed to pay ₹5.5 lakh.
• Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, acting as Chancellor of these universities, challenged the State government’s involvement in Vice-Chancellor appointments in State universities via petitions filed at the Supreme Court.
• The litigation followed rulings by both Single Bench and Division Bench of the Kerala High Court that upheld the State government’s role in these appointments.

Indian Opinion Analysis
This case underscores ongoing tensions between Governors and State governments concerning administrative processes in public universities. The Governor’s approach, asserting control over Vice-Chancellor appointments as Chancellor, highlights a broader debate over federalism and autonomy within higher education governance in India. Directing universities to bear legal costs may prompt questions about resource allocation and administrative accountability, especially for entities funded by public money. As this dispute unfolds at the Supreme Court level, its resolution could have important ramifications for similar conflicts nationwide.

For more details: Published – September 18, 2025