Chelladurai name okayed under pressure MKU V-C search panel members tell HC

Madurai TIMES NEWS NETWORK





Harish L Mehta and G Ramakrishnan, the search committee members who recommended three names to governor C Vidyasagar Rao for appointment as vice-chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU), on Tuesday told the Madras high court's Madurai bench that no transparency or consultative process was followed in recommending the panel. P P Chelladurai was picked from the panel and appointed vice-chancellor on May 27.

 

They contended that Chelladurai was the state government's choice and was in fact not eligible for the post. The members were not allowed to discharge their duties and responsibilities and compelled to give consent to include his name in the panel, Mehta and Ramakrishnan said in individual counters before the Madu rai bench in a case filed by Lionel M Anthony Arulraj seeking to quash the VC appointment.

Ramakrishnan said, “I have not been allowed to discharge my duties and responsibilities. As there was FIR pending against Chelladurai and he lacked qualification for the post of VC, I objected to including his name in the panel. Despite this, C Murukadas, convener of the committee who recommended his name (Chelladurai), compelled me to give my consent and to put my signature. The purpose of the search committee to recommend suita ble persons to hold the post of VC is not served.“

The candidates' applications were not supported by enclosures and supporting documents to prove their credentials, he said.

Mehta said higher educational institutions should not have leaders with criminal background and an earlier meeting had decided to insert a column to know the criminal antecedents of the applicants.
“But, the convener removed the column with a malafide intention and premeditated intention of including his own candidate. In the last meeting, on May 19, the convener abruptly mentioned and insisted upon the name of Chelladurai to be included in the panel. I pointed out several flaws in his application. According to the convener, Chel ladurai was government's choice. Left with no option I had to approve his name,“ Mehta said.

The secretary to the governor filed documents relating to Chelladurai's appointment before the court. After Chenlladurai's counsel, MKU registrar and convener of the committee sought time to file counter, the court adjourned the case to August 16.

Petitioner Arulraj had said Chelladurai was not qualified to be vice-chancellor and that he suspected he (Chelladurai) would make appointments illegally . Hence, it was necessary to quash his appointment as vice-chancellor. The bench on July 12 asked for records from the governor's office and ordered notices to the MKU functionaries and the search committee members.