The Supreme Court on November 29 (Wednesday) recorded the development that Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan has referred seven Bills to the President and ordered the State Government to file amendment application to broaden the current petition.
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Senior Advocate K.K. Venugopal, appearing for the State of Kerala, argued that some of the Bills were originally ordinances promulgated by the Governor under Article 213 of the Constitution, and there was no reason for the Governor to now refer them to the President.
The Supreme Court allowed the Kerala Government to include this point in the amended application. Mr. Venugopal also took strong exception to comments made by his successor and current Attorney General of India R. Venkataramani about the state of affairs in Kerala.
Mr. Venugopal called the AG’s comments “silly “ and said Kerala was one of the most beautifully-run State as far as literacy, public health care, etc, were concerned
On November 20, the Supreme Court sought a response from the Kerala Governor on a petition by the State government that he is indefinitely holding back key Bills presented to him for assent Appearing before a three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, Mr. Venugopal and advocate C.K. Sasi said the delay had grown to be an “endemic” among Governors of certain States.