The Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to the Central government, the University Grants Commission (UGC), and the Tamil Nadu Governor’s office on a petition filed by the Tamil Nadu government challenging a Madras High Court order that stayed its power to appoint vice-chancellors in state universities.
A bench comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and R. Mahadevan sought responses from the respondents on the state government’s appeal against the interim order passed by a vacation bench of the High Court on May 21. The High Court had restrained the state from implementing amendments that allowed it to play a key role in the appointment of vice-chancellors.
The provision under challenge was part of the legislative changes passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly and was among the set of bills the Supreme Court had recently deemed to have received assent from the Governor, in the landmark Tamil Nadu Government vs Tamil Nadu Governor ruling.
The High Court’s stay had been granted in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a lawyer, who questioned the constitutional validity of the state’s amendments. The petitioner contended that the Tamil Nadu laws were in conflict with UGC regulations, which mandate that vice-chancellors must be appointed by the chancellor — typically the Governor of the state.
The Supreme Court’s notice sets the stage for a significant legal battle over control of higher education in Tamil Nadu, a matter that has become a flashpoint in the broader tussle between state governments and centrally appointed governors.
