CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday sought the state government’s reply to a petition seeking to declare ultra vires the amendment Acts and a gazette notification which takes away the powers of the governor-chancellorto appoint vice chancellors to state universities and vests them with the state government.

A division bench of justices GR Swaminathan and V Lakshminarayanan directed the government to file the reply within a week while admitting the main petition, which prayed for the declaration.

However, he adjourned the hearing of the connected petitions seeking interim stay on the operation of the amendment Acts and the notification and further proceedings by a week.

The petitioner K Venkatachalapathy alias Kutty, who is also associated with the BJP, has challenged the legality of TN Fisheries University (Amendment) Act, 2020, TN Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (Amendment) Act, 2020, TN Universities Laws (Amendment) Act, 2022, Chennai University (Amendment) Act, 2022, TN Siddha Medical University Act, 2022, TN Dr Ambedkar Law University (Amendment) Act, 2022, TN Universities Laws (Second Amendment) Act, 2022, TN Dr MGR Medical University (Amendment) Act, 2022 and the TN Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (Amendment) Act, 2023.

These acts were notified by the state government on April 11, 2025 subsequent to the orders of the Supreme Court passed on April 8, 2025 declaring that these Acts were deemed to have been assented to by the governor on the date on which these bills were presented to him for assent. The petitioner has also challenged the legality of the notification.

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