In a significant development, the Kerala government has initiated legal proceedings against Governor Arif Mohammed Khan for his prolonged delay in signing eight pending bills. The move, announced on Thursday, November 2, signals a month-long impasse between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Governor Khan, who has retained the bills without approval.
Accompanied by senior CPI(M) legislator TP Ramakrishnan, the state government has taken the matter to the Supreme Court, seeking the court’s intervention to compel the Governor to authorize the bills, thereby facilitating smoother governance.
Chief Minister Vijayan highlighted that the Governor has held on to eight bills passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly, with three awaiting approval for over a year and one for approximately 22 months. Additionally, three bills have been with the Governor for around a year, while two have been pending for less than a year.
The state government sought legal counsel from renowned jurist Fali S. Nariman and engaged veteran lawyer KK Venugopal to represent their case in the highest court.
Governor Khan, seemingly resolute in his stance, responded to the state’s legal action by stating that if the government wishes to waste money, they are free to do so.
State Law Minister P. Rajeev, on the other hand, downplayed the situation on Thursday morning, asserting that it is not a dispute between the government and the Governor.
“This issue concerns the Governor and the Assembly,” stated Rajeev.
State Congress president K. Sudhakaran viewed the situation as unprecedented in the state, as the Governor and the government find themselves at odds. He added that one of the bills, if signed, would negate the Lokayukta institution, alleging that this move was driven by the government’s vested interests.
