New Delhi: The Kerala government has taken an unusual step by approaching the Supreme Court against President Droupadi Murmu’s decision to withhold assent to four bills passed by the state assembly. These bills include the University Laws (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2021; the Kerala Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022; the University Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2022; and the University Laws (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill, 2022. The LDF government in Kerala, has urged the Supreme Court to declare the President’s action unconstitutional and lacking good faith.
In this legal move, the Kerala government has named the Union government, the Secretary to the President of India, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, and his additional secretary as parties to the case. This action comes after previous tensions between the Governor and the Left-front government, with the Governor referring seven bills to the President in November 2023, leading to disagreements over various issues.
In February 2024, the President granted assent to a bill amending the Lok Ayukta Act, empowering the government to review Lok Ayukta orders disqualifying public servants. However, three bills related to the removal of the Governor from the post of chancellor of universities and changes to the constitution of the vice-chancellor search panel, which could potentially give the ruling party an advantage, were withheld by the President.
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