Mumbai, Dec 15 (PTI) In a move aimed at clipping the powers of the governor, the Maharashtra cabinet on Wednesday decided to amend its Public Universities Act in order to empower the state government in recommending to the governor the names for the vice chancellor's posts.

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The governor is the chancellor of the universities in the state and makes appointments of vice chancellors based on the recommendations of a committee.

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A statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016, will be amended and the state government will be given the powers to recommend to the governor the names for the vice chancellor's posts.

As per the present provision of the Act, a vice chancellor is appointed by the chancellor on recommendation of a committee, which comprises a nominee of the chancellor, who is a retired judge of the Supreme Court or high court, principal secretary of the higher and technical education department, director or head of an institute of national repute established by an Act of Parliament.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government comprising Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, shares a strained relationship with Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. There have been several flashpoints between him and the Uddhav Thackeray-led dispensation over various issues.

Meanwhile, the cabinet also gave its approval to withdraw the three bills related to amendments in agriculture, co-operation, food and civil supplies to counter the farm laws enacted by the central government. These three bills were introduced in the monsoon session of the state legislature in July this year.

With the Centre repealing the farm laws, the state government will also withdraw the bills in the winter session of the state legislature.

The winter session of the Maharashtra legislature will begin on December 22 in Mumbai.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)