The issue of granting the government the authority to appoint Vice Chancellors for two universities in the state has once again escalated into a conflict with the Raj Bhavan. The government has not received approval from the Raj Bhavan on this bill, but the Agriculture Department is preparing to issue a notification based on the Supreme Court’s orders. It has also received permission from the Law Department. It is clear that the Raj Bhavan is being bypassed in this matter.
Although the notification has not yet been issued, it is ready and could be issued at any time. Consequently, the matter appears to be complicated with the Raj Bhavan, as the Raj Bhavan has not yet granted approval. Currently, only the Governor has the authority to appoint Vice Chancellors for universities.
Reacting to media questions on this matter on Wednesday, Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla clearly stated that the Governor, as Chancellor, has the authority to appoint Vice Chancellors for universities, and if the government decides to bypass it, it is up to them. He stated that they only know what the President says about the Supreme Court’s decision, and the Raj Bhavan will address the matter based on the questions raised by the Supreme Court.
It is clear that if the Governor issues a notification in this matter, revoking the Governor’s authority, there will be a conflict and the matter will then go to the President. A complaint may be filed with the President.
It should be noted that the government wants to have the authority to appoint the Vice Chancellors of the Horticulture and Forestry University, Nauni, and the Agricultural University, Palampur.
However, the government itself has delegated the power of appointment to the Governor. After failing to receive permission from the Raj Bhavan, the government again approved its old bill in the monsoon session of the Legislative Assembly and sent it for the Governor’s approval, which is now two months away. The Governor has not approved it.
In this situation, citing Supreme Court orders, the government is about to issue a notification to take over the appointment authority, which has angered the Governor. He has clarified that whatever the Supreme Court orders, the President’s words will prevail. In such a situation, the matter can be referred to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, and the governor can speak directly to him.
This is a matter of bypassing the Raj Bhavan, and the governor has shown a strong attitude towards it. The notification has been put on hold by the Law Department, and the Agriculture Department, as per the Supreme Court’s instructions, is attempting to issue a notification without the bill being approved, sent to the Raj Bhavan for the second time. It should be noted that the government has the authority to appoint the Vice Chancellor in the Technical and Atal Universities. However, the governor still retains the authority in the remaining three universities. State Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi had also stated that the notification had been approved by the Law Department, so it would be issued soon. However, this matter could become more complicated in the coming days, and a controversy has already begun to arise.
