Kochi:  The interim order stayed the appointment of Priya Varghese, an associate professor in Kannur University, has been extended by the High Court. UGC has stated that Priya Varghese does not have sufficient qualifications. The court will hear the petition again on Wednesday. The High Court stayed the appointment on the petition of Joseph Scaria, a Malayalam teacher of SB College, Changanassery.

Six people appeared for the interview for the post of Associate Professor. Among these, Priya Varghese got the lowest research score including research papers. Joseph Scria, who got the second rank, has more than 15 years of teaching experience. The governor has already complained that Priya Varghese does not have eight years of teaching experience as prescribed by the UGC. According to the RTI document issued by Kannur University, Priya’s three-year research period on deputation and two-year non-teaching period as director of students were considered as teaching experience.

Kozhikode: Civic Chandran gets bail in the sexual harassment case. Kozhikode District Sessions Court granted bail. Writer Civic Chandran was arrested in the case of sexually assaulting a young writer.

The case is that Civic Chandran sexually assaulted a dalit writer who came to the book release ceremony on April 17, 2022. The case was registered under the Scheduled Caste Atrocities Act. Earlier, in this case, Kozhikode District Sessions Court had granted anticipatory bail to Civic.
After the High Court canceled this, Civic surrendered before the investigating officer. Civic came before the investigating officer Vadakara DYSP R Hariprasad at 9 a.m. As part of the investigation, the police have taken Civic’s mobile phone into custody.
Meanwhile, it is reported that during the interrogation, Civic denied the crime. During interrogation, Civik told the police that he did not know the caste of the complainant and that he was not a caste-based person. Two molestation cases were registered against Civic Chandran. In the second case, the High Court granted anticipatory bail to Civic.

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has opposed Governor Arif Muhammad Khan’s extraordinary proposals to resign from nine VCs in the state. The Chief Minister criticized the Governor for exercising powers that he does not have. The Chancellor is forgetting law and justice. The Chief Minister replied that the governor is encroaching on the universities which are supposed to function independently and this is unconstitutional.

The chief minister started replying to the governor by indicating that the post of governor is not for taking action against the government. The Chief Minister made it clear that VCs will not resign.

The chief minister said that the university rules did not give the governor the power to change the VC. A statement that he will not sign the bills is an insult to the legislature. The Chief Minister added that the Governor has no discretionary power to appoint or dismiss ministers on his own.

Thiruvananthapuram: Isolated heavy rain is likely in the state today. Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Malappuram districts are likely to experience thundershowers at isolated places, and gusty winds of up to 40 kmph.The Central Meteorological Department has informed that isolated places in other districts are also likely to experience moderate rain. The authorities also advised people to be extremely cautious in the wake of the lightning warning.

Meanwhile, the low pressure formed in the Bay of Bengal turned into a cyclone. Cyclone Sitrang is expected to make landfall between Tingkona Island and Sandwip in Bangladesh on Tuesday morning, the Meteorological Department said.

The depression formed over North Andaman, 1,460 km southeast of Sagar Island in Bengal. As the cyclone approaches the coast, heavy rainfall is likely to occur in parts of Odisha and Bengal in the coming days, the Meteorological Department said.There is a warning not to go fishing in the central Bay of Bengal and Odisha and Bengal coasts till the 26th.