Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan responded to Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan’s recent comments regarding his desire for direct briefings on bills. The Chief Minister affirmed that it is not customary for him to meet with the Governor for such briefings.
“I don’t know why the Governor is taking such a position. This is not a common practice. The concerned minister has briefed the Governor on the bills, and that’s the norm,” stated the Chief Minister in response.
Earlier this month, the Governor had expressed his anticipation for Chief Minister Vijayan to personally explain and address any doubts he has regarding certain bills. Vijayan’s government is concerned about the Governor withholding eight important bills, with three of them remaining pending for over a year, and one for nearly 22 months.
Furthermore, three more bills have been in the Governor’s possession for around a year, while two have been with him for less than a year. Last month, Vijayan suggested that legal measures might be pursued against the Governor for not signing the bills.
In response to the situation, the Kerala government has sought legal advice from jurist Fali S. Nariman and engaged in discussions with veteran lawyer K.K. Venugopal to represent the state at the apex court.
