Five senate members in Calicut varsity to lose their membership

At least five members of the Calicut University senate are set to lose their membership as their tenure as local body representatives reaches its culmination.

From the local bodies category, KK Abdul Gafoor from Wayanad, N. Shiyolal from Kozhikode, VKM Shafi from Malappuram, E. Chandrababu from Palakkad and Aljo P. Antony from Thrissur were elected to the senate. Three of them are affiliated with the Communist Party of India (Marxist). [CPI(M)]and others from the Indian Union Muslim League. While four of them did not participate in the recently concluded local elections, another was defeated when the results were announced.

Sources said they could continue their duties in the Senate for another three months. However, authorities may soon start the process for the election of new members.

senate meeting

Meanwhile, the senate is scheduled to meet again on Thursday to nominate the search and selection panel to select a new Vice-Chancellor for the university. Although Dharmaraj Adat, former vice-president of Sanskrit Sree Sankaracharya University, and A. Sabu, member secretary of the Kerala State Science, Technology and Environment Council, were elected in the senate meetings held on August 23 and October 30 respectively, both of them had refused to take up the post.

Thursday’s meeting followed the Kerala High Court’s directions in which the government had challenged the Chancellor’s formation of the search-selection committee on October 31. The court also asked the university authorities to obtain the candidate’s approval. The Chancellor had also issued a notification requesting applications for the post of V-C, with the last date for submission of applications being 5 December.