Kerala HC stays disciplinary action against former Kerala University registrar

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Monday stayed the memo of charges issued to former registrar of Kerala University K S Anil Kumar by the Vice Chancellor. A single bench of Justice P V Kunhikrishnan stayed the memo of charges issued by the Vice Chancellor against Kumar.

Kerala University Vice Chancellor Mohanan Kunnumal had initiated disciplinary action against Kumar alleging misconduct , and issued a memo of charges to him last year. Kumar challenged the authority of the Vice Chancellor to issue the memo of charges, contending that the appointing authority of the registrar is the university syndicate.

The court referred to Section 10(13) of the Kerala University Act, which states that if, at any time except when the syndicate or the academic council is in session, the Vice Chancellor is satisfied that any emergency has arisen requiring immediate action involving the exercise of any power vested in the syndicate or the academic council, he may take such action as deemed fit and report it at the next session of the syndicate or the academic council.

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"I am surprised to see the memo of charges. What is the emergency situation that arose to issue a memo of charges is not clear from it," the court observed. Kumar submitted in his petition that, after the memo of charges was issued, it was not placed before the next syndicate meeting held on December 24, 2025, which, according to him, indicated that something was amiss.

"I am of the prima facie opinion that the memo of charges was issued by the Vice Chancellor without any authority. The Vice Chancellor will explain why Section 10(13) of the Act was invoked to issue a memo of charges treating it as an emergency situation," the court ordered.

The court further ordered that all proceedings pursuant to the memo of charges shall remain stayed until further orders, and said that the Vice Chancellor may file a counter-affidavit and mention the matter if there is any urgency.

In December 2025, Kumar was transferred to his parent department after he expressed his disinclination to the state government to continue as Kerala University registrar.