By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Malappuram: The Kerala Governor cancelled the dismissal order of eight lecturers from the Calicut University. He raised the question if the Syndicate had the power to dismiss lecturers. The Governor who is also the Chancellor of the university made the order after hearing the version of the dismissed lecturers also.
The Syndicate appointed the lecturers according to the report of the selection committee, but the University should decide if the Syndicate should be given powers to make alterations in the appointment (ie, to dismiss), the Governor reportedly directed. It should be made clear if the report of the sub-committee of the Syndicate which suggested dismissal had any scope. The common justice of hearing the version of the lecturers before dismissal was not done. This is a denial of justice, he reportedly said quoting Supreme Court orders.
The Governor directed the University to make facilities to hear the version of the lecturers, considering the doubt on whether the Syndicate had powers to dismiss lecturers. He also reportedly instructed the lecturers that their doubt regarding the power of dismissal resting with the Syndicate should be raised before the Syndicate itself.
Eight lecturers were dismissed by the Syndicate of the Calicut University on August 31, 2009. The dismissal was based on the accusation that the lecturers appointed during the Vice-Chancellorship of Dr Iqbal Hasnain were not qualified enough. Dr KV Laser, Dr VM Kannan and Dr Y Shibu Vardhanan (Readers in Zoology Department), Dr CD Sebastian, Dr KC Chithra, Dr EM Manojam (lecturers) and Dr P Raveendran and Dr AI Yahya (Readers in Chemistry Department) were dismissed by the Syndicate. The Governor had collected evidence from three of them on April 20 and from the rest on August 31, according to reports. The Governor made his order after hearing both versions.