Dhankhar to inaugurate TN Vice-Chancellors’ meet in Ooty amid CM-Governor row
DMK, others argue Governor RN Ravi’s decision to convene VC event oversteps his constitutional bounds, especially after recent SC ruling reining him in
Amid the ongoing bitter row between Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Governor RN Ravi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar is all set to inaugurate a major conference of Vice-Chancellors, organised by the Governor.
The meeting comprising Vice-Chancellors of State, Central, and private universities and institutions of Tamil Nadu will be held on April 25 at the Raj Bhavan in Udhagamandalam (Ooty).
As reported by The Federal earlier, Raj Bhavan officially confirmed the fourth annual conference scheduled for April 25 and 26, which will be presided over by Ravi, Governor and Chancellor of state universities. However, the event has sparked a controversy, with political parties accusing Ravi of constitutional overreach and contempt of court, citing recent Supreme Court rulings on his authority over university matters.
Dhankar criticises SC ruling
On April 8, Dhankhar sharply criticised the Supreme Court’s ruling on Ravi’s delay in assenting to 10 bills, calling it a case of judicial overreach that undermines democratic principles.
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Speaking to Rajya Sabha interns on April 17, Dhankhar labelled the court’s use of Article 142, which deemed the bills assented without executive approval, a “nuclear missile” against democratic forces, arguing that setting a three-month deadline for the President to act on bills infringes on the executive’s constitutional role.
He contended that the judiciary cannot direct the President, who is sworn to uphold the Constitution, and warned that such actions position judges as a “super Parliament”, without accountability, sparking a heated debate on the separation of powers.
Again, on Tuesday (April 22), he asserted that “Parliament is supreme” and that there is no visualisation in the Constitution of any authority above Parliament. Addressing a Delhi University event, he said every word spoken by a constitutional functionary is guided by the “supreme interest of the nation”.
Contempt of court
The conference has drawn sharp criticism from political quarters, particularly from the ruling DMK, Congress, and VCK. They argue that Governor Ravi’s decision to convene the event oversteps his constitutional bounds, especially following the April 8 Supreme Court ruling.
The court declared Ravi’s withholding of assent to 10 Tamil Nadu Assembly Bills — many related to university governance, including Vice-Chancellor appointments — as unconstitutional, invoking Article 142 to deem the bills passed.
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The DMK and allies claim the conference, involving vice-chancellors, infringes on the state’s authority over universities, accusing Ravi of contempt of court.
VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan called it “an anti-national activity” and a violation of the Supreme Court’s directive.
Ooty conference
Meanwhile, the two-day Ooty conference seeks to bring together academic leaders to share best practices and address challenges in a rapidly evolving academic landscape.
Discussions will cover critical topics, including the implementation of the National Credit Framework, academic collaborations, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance learning outcomes, financial management in educational institutions, research excellence, promoting entrepreneurship, capacity building for learners, creating wealth through Intellectual Property (IP), and careers in the rehabilitation of differently-abled persons.
Eminent speakers from academia, government, and industry will lead the sessions.
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A special address by Prof Ajay Kumar Sood, principal scientific adviser to the government of India, on “Frontiers in Science & Technology,” is expected to highlight advancements that could transform education and research.
