University appeals against university

MALAPPURAM: In a curious case involving the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar, the University of Calicut has filed an appeal in the High Court against the university.

The Chancellor and the Registrar are the second and the third respondents respectively of the appeal filed by the Registrar and the Vice-Chancellor. The appeal has been moved against a recent verdict of a High Court Single Bench and an order by the Chancellor upholding the appointment of B. Karunakaran as professor of Sanskrit in 1989.

The order of the court in November 2009, followed by the Chancellors in February 2010, had dealt a blow to the university, especially as the loser in the case was T.K. Narayanan, who at present holds charge of Registrar.

The court found the 1989 appointment of Dr. Karunakaran by the selection committee as �valid and proper. The selection committees decision was rejected by the Syndicate, which favoured Dr. Narayanan to the post of Sanskrit professor.

Although the Chancellor annulled the Syndicate decision, Dr. Narayanan moved the court in 1990. Even though the court in 1999 dismissed Dr. Narayanans petition as �infructuous, he was appointed professor when the university renotified the post in 1997. And his appointment was subject to the courts final order.

It was Dr. Narayanans 1997 appointment that Dr. Karunakaran challenged in court later. Delivering the final verdict, the court in November last year upheld the 1989 appointment.