Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan refused consent to a special session of the assembly
Thiruvananthapuram:
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has refused consent to a one-day special assembly session decided by the CPM-led government cabinet on Monday, according to sources in the Chief Minister’s Office.
The governor earlier in the day sought an answer on the reason for the special session, to which a response was sent. However, the assent was denied, according to sources.
The cabinet had decided to ask the governor to convene a session of the special assembly on December 23 to discuss the new agricultural laws and planned to pass a resolution against it, together with the opposition.
According to sources, “the governor refused to agree, since the response did not justify an emergency session.”
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in a letter to the governor, said the decision not to allow the special assembly session was “regrettable”.
“When the Council of Ministers makes a recommendation to convene a session of the Legislature, the Governor cannot exercise discretionary power and reject the recommendation. It is regrettable that a recommendation coming from an elected government, which enjoys a clear majority in the Legislative Assembly , to discuss an emerging issue of national importance, has not been accepted by the Honorable Governor, especially when the power to convene a session of the Legislative Assembly clearly falls outside the discretion of the Governor, “Vijayan said in the letter.
Government sources said that this refusal is considered an “excess” and “against the constitutional provisions.”
The leader of the opposition, Ramesh Chennithala, also reacted to the refusal as “unfortunate”. “The governor’s refusal for the special session is regrettable. Legislators must meet in the membership hall and pass the resolution against the farm laws,” said Ramesh Chennithala.
Thousands of farmers have barricaded themselves along the Delhi-Haryana border in protest against the agricultural laws. The government has said it is willing to amend the laws, but the farmers will repeal them.
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