The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : KAU general council adjourned

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Sunday, Mar 25, 2007
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

KAU general council adjourned

Staff Reporter

Citing absence of Acting Vice-Chancellor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The meeting of the general council of Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) was adjourned on Saturday following protests by the members against the `absence' of the Acting Vice-Chancellor E.K. Majhi at the meeting.

The meeting was to take up several important issues, including the budget of KAU for the ensuing financial year and awarding degrees to 135 students. There are 15 State Government nominees in the 49-member General Council. None of them, including Mr. Majhi, Agricultural Production Commissioner and Finance Secretary, turned up.

Mr. Majhi had informed Registrar Joby V. Paul that he would not be able to attend the meeting and had given a panel of names, including that of KAU executive committee member and Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Rajaji Mathew Thomas, MLA, for presiding over the meeting.

The trouble began as soon the meeting began with Mr Rajaji Mathew Thomas presiding over it. When the meeting began with Mr. Rajaji Thomas Mathew in the chair, many members, including C. Raveendranath and C.K.P. Padmanabhan, CPI(M) MLAs, demanded that the meeting be adjourned.

They said Mr. Majhi had not attended any of the three general council meetings held during the last one year. The council meeting had been adjourned in July last as Mr. Majhi was absent. The previous council meeting was held in November with Mr. Rajaji Mathew Thomas in the chair. The meeting had then passed a resolution expressing protest against the absence of Mr Majhi, and requesting the Chancellor and the Government to ensure his presence at the next meeting.

The members alleged that the continued absence of Mr. Majhi for the third consecutive general council meeting was indicative of his "utter disregard" for the Council.

Mr. Rajaji Mathew Thomas, while registering protest against the absence of Government nominees at the Council meeting, said it was important that the KAU budget be passed before March 31. The Council will meet again on March 30 to take up the items on the agenda.

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