Chief Secretary E.K. Bharat Bhushan has sent to Education Minister P. K. Abdu Rabb and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy for further action a report of Additional Chief Secretary (Higher Education) K.M. Abraham recommending action against Mahatma Gandhi University Vice Chancellor A.V. George for misrepresenting his qualifications. The Chief Minister is likely to present the issue before the Cabinet. The Cabinet can recommend his removal to Governor Nikhil Kumar, who is the Chancellor of the university.
The Additional Chief Secretary has reported that Dr. George had resorted to fraudulent means to become the Vice Chancellor. Hence, his appointment as Vice Chancellor is in question.
As the Governor is the appointing authority of the Vice Chancellor, only the Governor can remove him, that too, only if the charges are established through an inquiry by a retired or sitting judge of the High Court or the Supreme Court. However, this provision is for mismanagement of the finances of the university or misbehaviour by the Vice Chancellor. (Fraud resorted to for becoming the Vice Chancellor, if established, may attract other laws.)
The Governor has already issued a show-cause notice to Dr. George for creating 56 posts in the university without the approval of the government and sanctioning 77 off-campus centres.
