THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has insisted that he give his assent to the Bills, enacted recently by the assembly, only after ensuring that they do not contain anything “contrary to the Constitution or law”. The governor also reminded Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan again of his constitutional duty to brief him on the “affairs of the state” on a “regular basis”.
The governor hardened his stance on a day when four ministers called on him on Thursday at the Raj Bhavan here to brief him about the pending Bills piloted by their respective departments. While ministers P Rajeeve, R Bindu, V Abdurahiman and V N Vasavan briefed the governor on the Bills on Thursday, Minister J Chinchurani had briefed him earlier, Raj Bhavan sources said. The governor had earlier placed the condition that he should be briefed properly about the Bills by the government before he takes them up for consideration.
“I shall be very vigilant about this duty of mine. I have to be satisfied that nothing is contradictory to the Constitution and the law,” the governor told reporters. The eight bills awaiting Khan’s assent include the University Law (Amendment) Bills that seek to remove the governor as the chancellor of universities and also alter the composition of the search-cum-selection committee to appoint vice-chancellors, the Kerala Lok Ayukta (Amendment) Bill and the Kerala Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill.
Khan reminded that as per the Constitution, it was the duty of the ministers to brief the governor. “It is the chief minister’s constitutional duty (to brief) not only about these Bills but even otherwise,” the governor said, adding that Pinarayi has never done so.