Ciza Thomas case: Kerala HC asks govt to release retirement, pensionary benefits in two weeks

Kochi, May 30
The Kerala High Court on Friday asked the Vijayan government to disburse the retirement and pensionary benefits of Ciza Thomas, former Vice Chancellor of Kerala Technological University (KTU), in two weeks.

A division bench of Justice Mustaq Mohammed directed the Pinarayi Vijayan government to disburse the retirement and pensionary benefits of Ciza Thomas, against whom disciplinary action was started on the day she retired as Vice Chancellor of the Kerala Technological University ( KTU) on March 31, 2023.

Thomas is presently the VC of Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology.

Trouble started for Thomas when, in November 2022, while she was serving as senior joint director at the Technical Education Department, under the directions of then-Chancellor Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, she took the additional responsibility as the VC of the KTU.

At that time, there was a huge difference of opinion between the then-Governor Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The bench pulled up the state government for not providing the retirement and pensionary benefits to Thomas.

Earlier, a single bench of the Kerala High Court came down heavily on the Sankaracharya University for denying fellowship to a research student.

The Court pointed out that when the Vice-Chancellor of the University is being paid a salary regularly, there is no reason for the non–payment of the petitioner's fellowship.

"If the Vice Chancellor of the University is being paid a salary regularly, there can be no justification for non-payment of the petitioner's fellowship," said Justice D. K. Singh.

This ruling came when the Court was looking into a case filed by a Ph.D fellow in the Sankaracharya University of Kalady for denying him fellowship amount even after it was sanctioned.

The University said that it could not disburse the fellowship to the petitioner due to the financial crunch faced by the University.

But the Court was peeved by this and directed the University to clear the fellowship arrears within a month.

The Court also pointed out that the salary of the Vice Chancellor and Registrar shall not be paid until the petitioner's dues are paid.