Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said it was the state legislature which had given the powers to Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla in his capacity as Chancellor of the Horticulture and Agriculture Universities, so he should act on the directives of the government.
“The powers that the Governor enjoys as the Chancellor of a university are not constitutional but given by the Vidhan Sabha Act, so he must act on the directives of the legislature and the government,” said Sukhu on the ongoing stalemate over the appointment of Vice Chancellors to the Horticulture and Agriculture Universities at Nauni in Solan and Palampur.
“Now as the Assembly session is to be held, Governor was apprised by the Agriculture Minister, cabinet and Secretary (Agriculture) that the advertisement for the appointment of the two VCs had been withdrawn.
He was told that the directive of the government was to withdraw the advertisement, yet he chose to extend the deadline for receiving applications for the post,” the CM said.
Sukhu said the High Court had also taken cognisance of the development. “I hold the Governor in high esteem.
From time to time, we act on the directions that he gives. I will personally meet the Governor and discuss the issue with him as he might have been advised by some official,” said Sukhu.
“The Governor has always shown concern over various issues concerning the state’s interests, including the drug menace.
We keep having discussions on all such issues,” he said. He said many Bills passed by the assembly, including Sukhashraya Bill and the Bill to curb corrupt practices in politics, were pending with the Governor.
Sukhu said the Bill for amendment to the Himachal Pradesh University of Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry Act, 1986, had been pending with the Governor for a long time and now, he had sent it back with some objections.
The relations between Raj Bhawan and the state government have not been very cordial, especially with there being no consensus on the issue of appointment of Vice Chancellors to the Horticulture and Agriculture Universities.
The issue of some Bills passed by the Vidhan Sabha not getting Governor’s assent has also been a sore point.
Despite the state government withdrawing the advertisement inviting applications for the post of two Vice Chancellors on August 11, the Governor’s Secretariat had on August 13 issued a notification extending the date for applying for the two posts till August 18.