Kerala Moves SC Against President Murmu For Withholding Assent To Four Bills

The Kerala government has requested that the President's decision to withhold assent to the bills without providing any reason be declared unconstitutional.

The CPM-led government has included the Union government, the Secretary to the President of India, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, and his additional secretary as parties to the case.

Source : PTI

Amid multiple tussles with the Governor, Kerala government in an unusual move approached the Supreme Court on Saturday against the President's Office regarding the release of four pending bills passed by Kerala Assembly. The Kerala Governor reportedly forwarded these bills to the President without affixing her signature.

According to ANI, The Kerala government approaches the Supreme Court to release four bills passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly, which are pending with the Office of the President. The Kerala Governor had sent these bills to the President without signing them, for her

Thiruvananthapuram | The Kerala government approaches the Supreme Court to release four bills passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly, which are pending with the Office of the President. The Kerala Governor had sent these bills to the President without signing them, for her…

— ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2024

 

The state government has requested that the President's decision to withhold assent to the bills—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—without providing any reason, be declared unconstitutional.

The CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government has included the Union government, the Secretary to the President of India, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, and his additional secretary as parties to the case.

"The conduct of the Governor in keeping Bills pending for long and indefinite periods of time, and thereafter reserving the Bills for the consideration of the President without any reasons relatable to the Constitution is manifestly arbitrary and violates Article 14 (equality before law) of the Constitution," the plea said, as per a report on PTI.

Similarly, it emphasized that the guidance provided by the Union of India to the President to withhold assent to the four bills, which fall entirely within the jurisdiction of the state, without disclosing any reasons, is also evidently arbitrary and violates Article 14.