SC verdict a warning against Governors encroaching upon the powers of the legislative bodies, says Pinarayi

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala has reasons to cheer over the Supreme Court verdict against Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi delaying decisions on bills passed by the assembly, CM Pinarayi Vijayan indicated, as Kerala had also faced similar situations.

Several bills passed by the state government, especially those pertaining to universities, were excessively delayed, and some were referred to the President by former Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan. The Kerala government had also moved the SC against the governor's actions.

Reacting to the SC verdict on Tuesday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the verdict was a warning against the tendency of Governors to encroach upon the powers of the legislative bodies. "It is a victory for democracy."

"The SC verdict is a strong affirmation of the federal structure and the democratic rights of the legislature. The court had previously made it clear on multiple occasions that Governors must act based on the advice of the council of ministers. Going a step further, this verdict also sets a specific time frame within which bills must be acted upon," he said.

He pointed out that Kerala had already witnessed a situation where bills passed by the legislature were kept pending for up to 23 months, and the state was currently pursuing a legal battle against such practices. Hence, the verdict on Tuesday underscores the relevance and importance of the issues raised by Kerala.