Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has reportedly referred the Kerala State Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Bill, 2025 and the Kerala University Laws (Amendment) Bills, 2025 to the President.
The Kerala Assembly passed the Bills in March this year, but the Governor’s assent was pending. Mr. Arlekar’s decision comes amidst the Supreme Court hearings on whether courts can prescribe timelines for Governors and the President for clearing Bills passed by State legislatures.
The Kerala State Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Bill seeks to open the doors to private universities in the State. The Bills had drawn strong criticism from the Congress-led Opposition United Democratic Front, which accused the Left Democratic Front government of attempting to undermine the autonomy of universities and convert them into departments of the government.
Published – September 04, 2025 08:31 pm IST
