'We'll Resolve If Not Resolved By Next Week' : Supreme Court On Deadlock Over Tamil Nadu University VC Appointments

The Supreme Court today (January 17) orally said that if the issue regarding the appointment of Vice Chancellors in the Tamil Nadu universities are not resolved by the next date of hearing, then the Court will resolve it.

Two writ petitions filed by the State of Tamil Nadu against the actions of Tamil Nadu Governor were listed before a bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan. The petitions were orally mentioned in the morning itself, seeking adjournment.

On the issue regarding the delay in the appointment of VCs, Justice Pardiwala said: "We will resolve this. By next date, if it is resolved well and good. Otherwise, we will resolve it." The matters are posted to next Wednesday.

To briefly state, two writ petitions have been filed by the State of Tamil Nadu. In the first matter against the sitting Governor of Tamil Nadu Dr. RN Ravi, the issue raised by the Tamil Nadu Government is that the Governor has been sitting over several bills passed by the legislature and files submitted by the State Government. It has been argued that as per Article 200 of the Indian Constitution, the Governor is obliged to return the Bill "as soon as possible". It is the State's plea that the Governor is acting as "political rival" which has resulted in a "constitutional deadlock".

This matter was being heard by a bench of former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud along with Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, which had orally observed that the issue raised "serious concern".

In another matter, the Tamil Nadu Government has challenged the three notifications unilaterally issued by the Governor for constituting search-and-selection committees for the appointment of Vice-Chancellor in the Bharathiar University, Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University and Madras University.

Today, appearing for the State of Tamil Nadu, Senior Advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and P Wilson at the outset stated that their amendment applications (on the developments that have taken place since the last hearing) be allowed. Attorney General for India R Venkataramani did not object to the amendment application.  Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi (for Tamil Nadu in the second matter) requested the Court to hear the two matters separately.

Case Details: THE STATE OF TAMIL NADU v THE GOVERNOR OF TAMILNADU AND ANR., W.P.(C) No. 1239/2023 & THE STATE OF TAMIL NADU v. THE VICE CHANCELLOR AND ORS., W.P.(C) No. 1271/2023