SC frowns on Kerala guv for 'sitting' on bills for 2 years, plans guidelines

New Delhi: Voicing displeasure over Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan "sitting" for two years on bills passed by the state legislature, the Supreme Court said on Wednesday it will consider laying down the guidelines as to when the governors can refer bills to the President of India for assent.

While noting that the Kerala governor has taken decisions with regard to eight bills, the apex court asked him to meet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the minister concerned to discuss the legislations, observing let's hope some "political sagacity" takes over.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud took note of the submissions of Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the office of the governor, that out of the eight bills, seven have been "reserved" for consideration by the president, while Khan has given his assent to one.

"What was the governor doing for two years by sitting on the bills?" the bench, also comprising justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, asked. The attorney general said he does not wish to go into detail.

"We will get into it very much," the bench observed, adding it is "about our accountability to the Constitution and people ask us about it".

The top court permitted the Kerala government to amend its plea seeking issuance of guidelines for state governors to grant or decline assent to bills passed by legislatures.

"We will record that the governor will discuss the matter with both the CM and the minister in charge...," the bench said. (PTI)