Kerala CM accuses Guv of unnecessarily delaying assent to bills to trouble govt

Thiruvananthapuram: Pinarayi Vijayan, the chief minister of Kerala, claimed on Wednesday that Governor Arif Mohammed Khan "unnecessarily delayed" certain bills as part of his "aim to trouble the state government."

According to Vijayan, Khan might be motivated by more than just "creating troubles for the state government," since he might also have a "personal agenda."

“We need not go into all that. We can just watch it and we will understand,” the CM said while speaking to reporters here 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 the issue, Vijayan said that Khan was bound to act according to the Constitution.

The CM said that once the apex court makes certain observations on the issue, how can someone, especially one holding a constitutional position, take a different stand, PTI reported.

“His (Khan) stand is unfortunate. Why should the bills be delayed unnecessarily?” Vijayan remarked.

He also said that he himself had met 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 CM’s statements came a day after 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, 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 Khan has withheld assent include the Lok Ayukta Amendment Bill and two different University Laws Amendment Bills.