As Chancellor I have authority to appoint VC: Governor

Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla today said if the state government chooses to by-pass him in the appointment of Vice Chancellors, he shall deal it with it as per the directives of the Supreme Court.

He was responding to media on the faceoff between Raj Bhawan and state government on the issue of appointment of Vice Chancellors to government universities after flagging off Red Cross relief material for disaster affected families in Kullu and Chamba from the Raj Bhawan, here today. Shukla said the issue of appointment of Vice Chancellor of the universities in the state was very much his domain in his capacity as Chancellor of the universities.

“I want to clarify that in my capacity as Governor I am the Chancellor of the University who has the authority to appoint the Vice Chancellor. If the state government chooses to bypass me, it’s their headache. I will deal it on the basis of the Supreme Court’s decision based on the President of India’s queries,” said Shukla.

“It is for the state government to run its affairs. I have only referred the letter received regarding giving of additional charge of important posts to the state government,” he said on the issue of Raj Bhawan seeking a reply from the state government on giving additional charge of the top posts of Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and Principal Chief Conservator Forest (PCCF). “If I feel that a situation has come where I need to take it up with the state government, I will again speak with them,” he said.

He said on the contrary, it is the state government which must be mindful of posting competent officers on these important posts on a regular basis and not as officiating officers.