Kerala government wants provision to impeach governor
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The LDF government has proposed an amendment to the Constitution to give state governments more power in the appointment as well as recalling of governors. The move arouses interest as it comes amid the government’s ongoing spat with Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, though there is no direct link between the two.
In its response to the recommendations of the M M Punchhi Commission that was constituted to study the Centre-State relations, the government also called for the provision to impeach the governor if the person holding the high office violates the Constitution or fails to discharge his/her duties. The Constitution allows the governor to remain in the office during the pleasure of the President and there is no provision that permits his impeachment.
The government proposed that as far as possible, the governor should be appointed from a panel of four persons suggested by the chief minister. The state government shall be given the right to call back the governor if he/she takes an approach against the reasonable stance of the state government. Currently, the President appoints the governors while the Union government holds the prerogative of nominating them.
State govt differs on panel’s recommendations
The LDF government has disagreed with the Punchhi commission recommendation that set a cooling-off period of two years for politicians to be appointed as governors. Any person who meets the criteria shall be appointed as governor, the proposal said.
It differed with the panel’s recommendation that the governor should follow the SC directive in cases including giving sanction for prosecution against ministers.
The state government had earlier submitted its proposals to the Inter-State Council, but the body’s standing committee had turned down some of the recommendations and asked Kerala to submit a revised final proposal. These recommendations are made in the final proposal.