The Supreme Court ruled that the Kerala Governor, being the ex-officio Chancellor of Kannur University, is not bound by the advice of the State's Ministers when it comes to appointing Vice-Chancellors to University.
"The appointment was vitiated by the interference by the State," the Court said while quashing the re-appointment that saw heightened tensions between the Kerala government and the Kerala Governor.
The Supreme Court today sought the replies of Priya Varghese, the Kannur University and the Kerala State Higher Education Department in appeals filed by the UGC and Dr. Joseph Skariah.