“Kerala Governor Unnecessarily Delaying Certain Bills”: Chief Minister
Pinarayi Vijayan said Governor Arif Khan was bound to act according to Constitution (File)
Thiruvananthapuram:
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday alleged that Governor Arif Mohammed Khan “unnecessarily delayed” certain bills in pursuance of his “aim to trouble the state government”.
Mr Vijayan alleged that Khan may have several reasons which may not be confined to “creating troubles for the state government”, as he may have some “personal agenda” also.
“We need not go into all that. We can just watch it and we will understand,” the CM said while speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram at a press briefing.
When reporters raised the issue of the Governor not signing certain bills and the state government moving the Supreme Court regarding on the issue, Mr Vijayan said that Khan was bound to act according to the Constitution.
The Chief Minister said that once the top court makes certain observations on the issue, how can someone, especially one holding a constitutional position, take a different stand?
“His (Khan) stand is unfortunate. Why should the bills be delayed unnecessarily?” Mr Vijayan remarked.
He also said that he himself had met Mr Khan and discussed the issue with him, and thereafter sent him a letter saying that the ministers who moved the bills in the House would meet him.
“Thereafter, the ministers who moved the bills met and spoke to him (Khan). Who else should go?” Vijayan asked.
The Chief Minister’s statements came a day after Mr Khan had accused the state government of using the legislature for purposes other than what it was meant for.
Regarding some of the bills that he had withheld, Mr Khan had said, “Naturally, nobody can ask you to do something which violates the bounds of the law. I have repeatedly said so.”
The bills on which Mr Khan has withheld assent include the Lok Ayukta Amendment Bill and two different University Laws Amendment Bills.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
