Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has alleged the state government of ‘crossing line’ on numerous occasions and affirmed that he was acting in accordance with the Constitution.
Khan’s reaction comes amid the row over Raj Bhavans of several states ‘sitting over’ bills.
He further questioned if he had ever caused a crisis in the state.
His remarks came at a time when the Kerala government approached the Supreme Court raising the issue of the Governor not signing certain bills and delaying it indefinitely.
“Show me one instance where I have crossed the line. And how many times my own government has crossed the line, there is a long list. So who is creating the crisis?” Khan said, HT reported.
He alleged that the state has not been paying the pensions and salaries for quite some time.
Earlier, the Supreme Court said that a Governor cannot sit on key Bills passed by a State Legislature after casting doubts on the validity of the Assembly session in which the proposed laws were passed with overwhelming majority by the elected representatives of the people.
The SC settled the law in a writ petition filed by the Punjab government, represented by senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, complaining that Governor Banwarilal Purohit has held back crucial Bills on Sikh gurdwaras, the police and higher education passed in a special sitting of the Budget Session of the Vidhan Sabha on June 19 and June 20, 2023.
“Real power vests with the elected representatives of the people in a parliamentary form of democracy. The Governor, as an appointee of the President, is a titular head of the State. The Governor acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers save in areas where the Constitution gives him discretion. The power to take decisions affecting the governance of the State or the nation is essentially entrusted to the elected arm of the state. Governor is intended to be a constitutional statesman guiding the government on matters of constitutional concern,” the court held.
