Supreme Court stays Madras HC’s interim order halting T.N. govt provision to appoint Vice-Chancellors

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (February 5, 2026) set aside an interim order of the Madras High Court that stayed an amended provision enabling the Tamil Nadu government to appoint Vice-Chancellors to State-run universities.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi was hearing petitions filed by the State challenging the May 2025 order passed by a Vacation Bench of the High Court.

The State had also filed a petition seeking transfer of the case to the apex court.

Underlining that the State had to be provided with a reasonable opportunity of being heard, the Bench set aside the order and sent it back to the High Court for a fresh hearing.

“Since we are setting aside primarily on technical grounds, our order should have no bearing on the merits of the case,” the Bench said.

It directed that the matter be posted before any appropriate Bench of the High Court.

“Keeping in view the fair stand taken by the appellants (State of Tamil Nadu), we request the High Court to decide the case within six weeks,” the Bench said.