A.V. SESHA SAI, J.

1. Since the petitioners in these cases share common grievance, these writ petitions are heard together and are being disposed of by this common order.

2. According to the petitioner in PIL Nos.6 and 7 of 2016, he is a retired professor, interested in the up keep of academic environment in the universities and to preserve the primary role of the academia in the functioning of the university. Petitioner in W.P.Nos.673 of 2016 and 1702 of 2016 is Telangana State Federation of university Teachers Association.

3. B.R. Ambedkar Open University, third respondent herein, came into being by virtue of B.R. Ambedkar Open University Act, 1982 and Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technology, Basar came to be established under "Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies Act, 2008". The said institutions are imparting higher education in various disciplines and conferring Under and Post-Graduate Degrees and Diplomas.

4. The first respondent State Government issued G.O.Ms.No.29 Higher Education (UE) Department dated 11.09.2015 (P.191-193), under Section 101 of the A.P. Reorganization Act, 2014, amending Sections 9 and 10 of the Dr.B.R.Ambedkar Open University Act, 1982 and Sections 6 and 7 and Schedule of Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies Act, 2008. The said amendments at paragraphs 3 and 4 of the said G.O.Ms.29 read as under:

3. In the Dr.B.R.Ambedkar Open University Act, 1982(Act No.11 of 1982),

(a) in section 9, for sub-section (1), the following shall be substituted, namely:-

"(1) The Chancellor shall be appointed by the Government."

(b) in section 10, in sub-section (1), after item (iii), for the existing paragraph, the following shall be substituted, namely:-

"(1) The Search Committee shall submit a panel of three persons to the Government in alphabetical order and the Government shall appoint the Vice- Chancellor from out of the said panel.".

4. In the Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies Act, 2008(Act No.18 of 2008),-

(a) in section 6, for sub-section (1), the following shall be substituted, namely:-

"(1) The Chancellor shall be appointed by the Government.";

(b) in section 7, in sub-section (1), the words "Governing Council", shall be substituted with the word "Government";

(c) In the Schedule,-

(i) in Statute 1, under the heading "The Chancellor" clause 1 shall be omitted;

(ii) in Statute 2, under the heading "The Vice- Chancellor" for clause(1), the following shall be substituted, namely:-

"(1) The Government shall constitute a Search Committee consisting of,-

(i) a nominee of the Governing Council;

(ii) a nominee of the University Grants Commission;

(iii) a nominee of the State Government;

The Search Committee shall submit a panel of three persons to the Government in alphabetical order and the Government shall appoint the Vice-Chancellor from out of the said panel:

Provided that it shall be competent for the Government to call for a fresh panel if they consider necessary and the Search Committee shall submit a fresh panel to the Government."."

5. In respect of the respondent universities covered by PILNo.7 of 2016 also the State Government vide G.O.Ms.No.28 Higher Education (UE) Department dated 11.09.2015 issued similar amendments under Section 101 of the A.P. Reorganization Act, 2014, vesting the power with the State Government for appointment to the posts of Chancellors and Vice- Chancellors.

6. Thereafter, the State Government issued G.O.Ms.No.38 Higher Education (UE&VC) Department dated 19.12.2015, altering criteria for eligibility for Vice-Chancellor post by way of substitution of para 4 (1) of G.O.Ms.No.14 Higher Education (UE.II) Department dated 20.02.2010. The said substituted provision reads as follows:

"(i) Persons of the highest level of competence, integrity, morals and institutional commitment are to be appointed as Vice- Chancellors. The Vice-Chancellor to be appointed should be a distinguished Academic, with a minimum of 5 years experience as Professor in a University Sys