KUFOS VC case: Supreme Court disposes of plea after Riji John’s tenure ends

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has disposed of the case challenging the Kerala High Court judgment that had set aside the appointment of K. Riji John as Vice Chancellor of the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), after the Chancellor informed the court that his term had already ended. Attorney General R. Venkataramani, appearing for the Chancellor, told a Bench comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe that Riji John’s tenure as Vice Chancellor had expired and, therefore, nothing remained to be considered in the case.

The Supreme Court accepted the submission and disposed of the petitions challenging the High Court judgment. However, the court left open the legal questions raised in the petitions to be considered in any other appropriate case.

The petitions had been filed by the former state government and Riji John against the Kerala High Court judgment cancelling his appointment as KUFOS Vice Chancellor. The matter reached the Supreme Court in 2024. Though it was listed on several occasions over the past two years, detailed arguments had not been heard. Riji John was appointed KUFOS Vice Chancellor for a five-year term in January 2021. His tenure ended in January 2026.

Government had sought two weeks to clarify its stand

Earlier, a state government advocate had sought a two-week adjournment in the case to seek instructions on the KUFOS Vice Chancellor appointment. State Standing Counsel Syed Marzooq Bafakhi had written to the Supreme Court Registrar seeking the adjournment.

During the previous Pinarayi Vijayan government, former Attorney General K.K. Venugopal had appeared for the state government in the case. With a change of government in Kerala, there had been speculation over whether the state’s position in the case would change. It was against this backdrop that the government sought time from the court.

Syed Marzooq Bafakhi appeared for the state government before the Supreme Court on Thursday. Senior advocate Jayant Muthuraj and advocate Anne Mathew appeared for K. Riji John, while advocate P.S. Sudheer appeared for the respondent, K.K. Vijayan.