THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Government has approached the Supreme Court against the delay in getting President's assent for the bills passed by the legislative assembly.
The Kerala Governor who referred the four bills to the President has also been made a party to the case.
The President's secretary is the prime respondent in the suit filed by the chief secretary and Perambra MLA TP Balakrishnan. The unusual suit challenges the legaility of the President's action to withhold her assent to bills referred to her.
It will also spark a Constitutional debate on whether the President's action comes under judicial review.
According to the Kerala Government, the governor should not have referred the bills to the president as they deal with matters falling in the State List of the Constitution.
Also, the state will point out that the governor had given his assent to the ordinances issued prior to these bills.
The bills pending with the President include those related to the governance of universities. One of them seeks to remove the Governor as chancellor of universities.
Another one, Kerala Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, seeks to give voting rights to the nominated members in the Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Milma). The latter would help the ruling LDF to gain control over the Milma's governance.