Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, on Thursday, gave indications that he won’t be immediately giving assent to the University Laws Amendment Bill, which aims to curtail the power of the governor in the selection of vice-chancellors in the universities in the state and the controversial Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill which have been passed by the Assembly recently.

Speaking to media persons in Kottayam, Khan said a democratically elected government has every right to bring bills, but for making the Bill a law, the approval of the governor is necessary. He asserted that he would take a decision on these bills passed by the Assembly based on the Constitutional law and precedents.

“I shall apply my mind, my own judgment, my vision, and then I will decide in accordance with the Constitution, law, and convention,” the governor said.

Replying to a query from the media persons as to whether he would give assent to the university amendment passed by the Assembly, Arif Mohammed Khan said he won’t allow the autonomy of the universities to be diluted and won’t allow executive interference in the universities.

“I shall not allow the autonomy of the universities to be diluted. I shall not allow executive interference in the universities. That means the government takes the power of making appointments into its own hands. That will result in erosion of autonomy. Autonomy of universities is a sacred concept,” Governor  Khan said.

He alleged that the University Laws Amendment Bill was passed to pave the way for the appointment of the “unqualified relatives” of the chief minister and his Cabinet members.

“I cannot allow a mechanism to be adopted whereby it can be used to appoint unqualified and underqualified relatives of those in power, relatives of the personal staff of the chief minister and other ministers, on the rolls of the universities, ” he said.

Khan also alleged that the Bill was brought in order to legalise illegalities. He further said if he is the Chancellor of the University, he will not be used as a rubber stamp.

The decision of the Kannur University to appoint Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s private secretary’s wife Priya Varghese associate professor in the Malayalam department has erupted a controversy. The Kerala High Court has stayed the appointment. The governor as chancellor of the university has also issued orders freezing the appointment of Priya Varghese.

Governor Khan also indicated that he is not approving the Lokayukta Amendment Bill, which was passed by the Assembly recently, saying that no one can be a judge in his own cause.

“The basic jurisprudential principles do not allow a person to be a judge of his own case. If there is a case against you, you cannot be allowed to make a decision on it,” the governor said.

As per the Kerala Lokayukta Amendment Bill passed by the Assembly, if Lokayukta passes a verdict against the chief minister in a corruption case, the Assembly would be the competent authority to decide on it, not the governor. The appellate authority for the ministers would be the chief minister, while for the members of the Assembly, it would be the Speaker.

Khan had earlier said every provision in the amendment will be scrutinised on the yardstick of the Constitution. He also said the law should not be changed in order to protect someone, a change of law should be for the common good.