THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 2: The Kerala government filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court accusing Governor Arif Mohammed Khan of failing to act on eight laws that had been approved by the state legislature and had been sent to the governor for his approval in accordance with Article 200 of the Constitution.
With this, Arif Mohammed Khan becomes the third governor, following Punjab’s Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, to be faced with similar petitions at the highest court alleging delays in bill clearing.
Three bills have been waiting before the governor for more than two years, according to the petition.
“The conduct of the governor as would presently be demonstrated threatens to defeat and subvert the very fundamentals and basic foundations of our constitution, including the rule of law and democratic good governance, apart from defeating the rights of the people of the state to the welfare measures sought to be implemented through the Bills”, the petition read.
The bills that are still pending are the Public Health Bill of 2021, the University Laws Amendment Bill of 2021, the University Laws Amendment Bill of 2021 (first amendment), the Kerala Co-operative Societies Amendment Bill of 2022, the University Laws Amendment Bill of 2022 and the Kerala Lokayukta Amendment Bill of 2022.
Previously, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan emphasized, “As per the constitution, the Governor cannot unnecessarily delay the bills sent to him after the Assembly passes them.”
In response, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan expressed his concerns stating that it is CM Vijayan’s constitutional obligation to deliver frequent briefings on government affairs.
