Kerala University registrar repatriates to cadre college

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala University Registrar K S Anil Kumar, who had been at the centre of the Bharat Mata controversy involving Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, has been transferred back to his college under the university, official sources said on Wednesday. The government order stated that Kumar was allowed to return to his cadre—KSMDB College, Sasthamkotta—following his request.

The move comes amid reports of a reconciliation between the Left government and Lok Bhavan over university administration in the state. The order directed the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the college, to immediately take Kumar back into service.

The transfer follows an agreement between Lok Bhavan and the state government to appoint Vice-Chancellors in two Kerala universities , ending a longstanding impasse. Kumar, who was serving as registrar while also being principal of KSMDB College, had his tenure renewed by the university syndicate in February for a further four years.

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He was suspended in July while on deputation as registrar after allegedly issuing a notice cancelling a private programme attended by the governor at the Senate Hall, where a portrait of Bharat Mata carrying a saffron flag was displayed.

On June 25, Kumar had cancelled permission granted to Sree Padmanabha Seva Samithi to use the Senate Hall for the programme, in which the governor was invited as the chief guest. He rejected the allegations, stating that the notice was issued before the governor arrived and that he had evidence to support his claim. His suspension was later revoked by the Left-controlled university syndicate, challenging the decision of the Vice-Chancellor, a nominee of the Chancellor.

The Bharat Mata controversy had sparked clashes between the student wings of the CPI(M) and BJP—the Students Federation of India (SFI) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), respectively.