CHENNAI: State higher education minister K Ponmudy dubbed the search committee constituted by the Governor as illegal and said that the state government would face it legally.

Holding that provisions of the respective University Acts do not provide for the Governor constituting the search committee, Ponmudy, in a statement issued late Wednesday, said, “No governor has unilaterally constituted the search committee.

The rules do not permit it either. There are 13 universities functioning under the Higher Education department in Tamil Nadu. These universities have their exclusive rules and regulations.

The search committees have been constituted so far in accordance with the respective university acts and published in the state gazette. So far no governor has set up a search committee on his own.

"The search committee set up by the governor is totally in violation of the university rules and regulations. As per the administrative rules of the state government, it must be notified in the gazette. Governor’s unilateral announcement is contrary to the rules and traditions.”

Citing the pendency of the bill providing for appointment of V-Cs by the government with the Raj Bhavan, the state higher education minister said that the government would legally face the notification issued by the governor vis-a-via constitution of the search panel.