Speaker A.N. Shamseer said he believed that Governor Arif Mohammed Khan would sign the Bills passed by the Kerala Assembly. He was responding to a query at a Meet-the-Press organised by the Kannur Press Club here on Friday. The Speaker said the Governor may have his opinions, but he knew the administrative structure well.
Mr. Khan had recently objected to a new set of Bills passed by the Assembly. The Governor had accused the State government of attempting to legalise all illegalities, adding that he was not a mere rubber stamp. Mr. Shamseer said the 2015 Assembly ruckus should not have happened. “It happened under special circumstances. It will be better if such incidents do not recur,” he said.
‘A model for others’
He said there may be disputes between ruling and Opposition members inside the House, but outside, they all maintained very cordial relationships. The Kerala Assembly was a model for other State legislatures in India. The ruling party and the Opposition had in-depth discussions and arguments. The Assembly met for 61 days during the COVID period. In 15 months, 16 laws were brought in.
The Speaker replied in the affirmative when asked whether there should be an increase in the number of women legislators in the Assembly. Mr. Shamseer also said he felt fortunate to be appointed as Speaker of a House that had such senior members in both the ruling and Opposition sides. He said a series of initiatives had been taken to make the Assembly green.
