JOIN USGovernor rejects govt's request to give assent to SC/ST bill
Governor Vajubhai Vala, on Monday, rejected the government's request to give his assent to the bill to ensure reservation in promotion to SC/ST employees in government jobs. He, instead, stuck to his decision to send the bill for Presidential assent.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, along with Law Minister T B Jayachandra and PWD Minister H C Mahadevappa, met Vala and tried to convince him that Raj Bhavan was legally competent to give its assent to the controversial bill.
Later speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah said that the Governor, however, refused to change his stance.
"Though we stressed on the importance of the bill, the Governor was of the opinion that only the President of India is authorised to give his assent. He said that the bill deals with a constitutional matter. We will wait till the bill reaches the President and then meet him personally, to apprise him of the importance of the matter," he said.
The legislature had passed the bill during the recently concluded winter session in Belagavi, to circumvent a Supreme Court order, striking down all consequential promotions to SC/ST employees.
KPME bill/V-C appointments
During the meeting, the government also requested Vala to give early assent to the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment (Amendment) Bill, which proposes to regulate private hospitals. The diluted version of the bill was passed during the Belagavi session.
Vala is learnt to have picked a bone with the chief minister about Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddi over his recent comments about Raj Bhavan.
The governor, who had recently written to Siddaramaiah expressing his displeasure over Rayareddi's comments, is said to have sought the government's clarification yet again on the matter.