Kerala’s CPI(M) and Congress chastised state governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Saturday for allegedly saying that the Supreme Court’s recent decision establishing a deadline for governors to address bills enacted by the legislature was a “overreach by the judiciary.”
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Arlekar was reported as saying that the SC’s division bench, which rendered the decision in the case of Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi, ought to have sent the matter to a Constitution bench. AICC general secretary K C Venugopal described his comments as “unfortunate,” while CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby labeled them “undesirable.”
Speaking at a Kozhikode Congress rally, Venugopal claimed that Arlekar had criticized the ruling of the top court because he was worried that the BJP’s objective would be revealed. “It is unfortunate that the Kerala Governor has come forward against the Supreme Court verdict,” said Venugopal, who is also Congress MP from Alappuzha.
Baby told reporters in Delhi that the Supreme Court’s decision applied to everyone, including the president. “So, how can governors have an authority which the president does not have?” he asked, adding that even the president does not sit on or postpone bills enacted by parliament.
Arlekar, according to Venugopal, “glorifies” Parliament’s legislative authority but shows “no respect” for it. He claimed that PM Narendra Modi was attempting to subvert elected governments by utilizing the governors as a political tool.
He hailed the SC judgment as a “silver lining” against the Sangh Parivar. He said assent to several legislation have been delayed inordinately undermining democracy.
