Highlights
- Kerala drops Guv Arif Mohd Khan as Chancellor of Kerala Kalamandalam deemed university
- LDF govt amended the rules of Kerala Kalamandalam deemed university to remove Governor
- The move comes amidst govt's ongoing tussle with Khan over functioning of universities
The Left Democratic Front (LDF) government today (November 10) amended the rules of Kerala Kalamandalam deemed university to remove the Governor as its Chancellor, a position which would now be filled with an eminent person from the field of Art and Culture.
Suiting action to its words that it no longer wants Governor Arif Mohammed Khan at the helm of universities in the state, the Pinarayi Vijayan headed dispensation issued an order amending the rules and regulations of the deemed university of Art and Culture. Khan is presently Chancellor of the Kerala Kalamandalam according to its website.
The move comes amidst the government's ongoing tussle with Khan over functioning of universities, including appointment of Vice Chancellors, in the state and its announcement that it will come out with an ordinance to replace him with eminent academicians at the helm of varsities in Kerala.
The amended rules of the deemed university also state that the governance system and management structure of the Kerala Kalamandalam shall be in accordance with the decision of the state government.
The governor is a representative of the BJP-led government at the centre and is known for his near-daily run-ins with the state's the Democratic Front (LDF) administration. The move came a day after friction between governors and governments in three non-BJP-ruled southern states spiked, with Tamil Nadu seeking a recall of RN Ravi, Kerala proposing a special ordinance to replace Mr Khan as chancellor of state universities, and Tamilisai Soundararajan expressed doubts of her phone being tapped in Telangana.
(With agencies inputs)
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