A "victory for democracy," Kerala CM praises the Supreme Court's decision against TN Guv
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Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan praised the Supreme Court's decision against Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on Tuesday, stating that it preserves the state Assembly's democratic rights and the federal system.
"The Supreme Court has repeatedly made it clear that governors must act in accordance with the advice of the cabinet," said Vijayan, whose government had previously clashed with then-Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan for withholding important bills containing several measures.
In a statement Vijayan noted that the decision also establishes a deadline for bill passage. The Chief Minister described the ruling as "a victory for democracy" and warned against the tendency of governors to claim the authority of the state assembly.
"We have encountered a scenario in which Legislative Assembly-passed bills have been delayed and held for as long as 23 months," he stated. According to Vijayan, Kerala is already fighting these kinds of inclinations in court, and the current ruling emphasizes how important the state's concerns are.
He added that the SC decision "is a historic reaffirmation of federal principles and democratic values" in a social media post. It establishes stringent deadlines, maintains the primacy of elected legislatures, and strongly condemns governors' political interference in order to subvert popular will. "A strong affirmation of Kerala's position and continuous legal fight to defend democratic rights and the legislature's honor," he said.
In response to the remarks of the Kerala CM, M K Stalin, his counterpart from Tamil Nadu, stated that "this is just the beginning."
"This decision is the first step in protecting states' rights, as we addressed at the CPIM 24th Party Conference, which was just held in Madurai. However, this is only the start. Stalin stated on "X" that "there is much more to be done in our continued fight for federalism and the will of the people."
Also Read:The Supreme Court's warning to Governor Raj
The Supreme Court harshly criticized Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi earlier on Tuesday, declaring that his choice to hold off on submitting 10 measures to the president for review violated constitutional norms.
"The Governor's action to reserve the 10 bills for the President is illegal and arbitrary, and thus the action is set aside," a bench made up of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan declared. The court further stated that "the 10 bills shall be deemed to have received assent from the date they were re-presented to the Governor," reversing all of his previous actions in this regard.
The governor must be vigilant not to impose "roadblocks or a chokehold" on the state legislature in order to "thwart and break the will of the people," the court added. The bench noted that the state legislature's members are more ideal for safeguarding the welfare of the state's citizens because they were chosen by the electorate through democratic means.
