Kerala News: Supreme Court Petition Cites Threat to Democracy and Welfare Measures in Prolonged Dispute
Kerala Latest News: The Kerala government has filed a writ petition with the Supreme Court, raising concerns over the refusal of Governor Arif Mohammed Khan to approve eight bills that have been duly passed by the state legislature. This legal move comes as three of these bills have languished in the Governor's office for over two years.
The Petition emphasizes that the Governor's conduct, as detailed in the plea, poses a potential threat to the foundational principles of the Indian Constitution, including the rule of law and democratic governance. Moreover, it has been argued that this conduct obstructs the implementation of welfare measures designed to benefit the people of the state through these bills.
The eight pending bills, awaiting the Governor's assent under Article 200 of the Constitution, encompass a range of legislative areas:
- University Laws Amendment Bill (1st Amendment) - 2021
- University Laws Amendment Bill (2nd Amendment) - 2021
- Kerala Co-operative Societies Amendment Bill - 2022
- University Laws Amendment Bill - 2022
- Kerala Lokayukta Amendment Bill - 2022
- University Laws Amendment Bill - 2022
- Public Health Bill - 2021
Kerala now joins Punjab and Telangana as the third state to resort to legal action against Governors who have declined to grant assent to bills passed by the respective state legislative assemblies.
Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, had previously expressed the state's intention to bring this matter before the Supreme Court, following Governor Arif Khan's ongoing refusal to sign the legislative measures. This legal maneuver signals a significant step in resolving the deadlock between the Governor and the state government over these crucial bills.
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