Punjab government mulls removing governor as chancellor of state universities
The Punjab government led by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is considering replacing the governor with the chief minister as the chancellor of all state-run universities. The state could become second in the country after West Bengal to bring the change. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the Bhagwant Mann government of violating constitutional provisions to disgrace the honor of the governor.
Why does this story matter?
Recently, the rift between the AAP government and Governor Banwarilal Purohit has widened. The governor, being the chancellor of all state universities, is the highest authority for appointing the vice-chancellor (VC). The President appoints the governor for a tenure of five years. With the Parliament electing the President, the string of appointments are subject to the influence of the party with the most numbers.
West Bengal passed Bill in June making CM the chancellor
The state government reportedly decided against getting the state Assembly prorogued to bypass the governor, in case it wanted to convene another session. Earlier, Purohit didn't allow the government to convene a special session for tabling a trust motion. The government is internally discussing following in the footsteps of West Bengal, which passed a Bill in June making the CM as the chancellor.
Purohit asked government to remove 'illegally' appointed VCs
Last week, Purohit rejected cardiologist Gurpreet Wander — the government's only pick — for the post of VC at Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS). On Tuesday, Purohit asked the Mann government to remove Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal as the vice-chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) terming his appointment illegal, and asked it to propose three names as per rules.
Mann deliberately challenging governor's authority: BJP
The BJP and Congress have launched attacks against the AAP government for failing to follow due procedures in appointing VCs. Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja expressed concern over the tussle between Purohit and the Mann government, saying the two should work closely for the state's progress. BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh blamed Mann for deliberately challenging the governor's authority.
Tamil Nadu in line behind West Bengal
Queuing behind West Bengal is Tamil Nadu where the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government passed a Bill to make the CM the chancellor, but Governor RN Ravi hasn't signed the Bill yet. Last month, the Kerala government passed the University Laws (Amendment) Bill 2022 curtailing the governor's powers in appointing VCs. The Bill changes the formation of the selection committee that picks VCs.
