With several ordinances including the one regarding the Kerala Lokayukta (Amendment) issued by the Left Democratic Front government set to expire on Monday, August 8, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan said that ruling through such means "is not desirable in a democracy". Arif said that he was not going to approve their repromulgation without going through the ordinances.
Further, he added that as many as 13 to 14 ordinances were sent to him on the day he was leaving the state for Delhi to attend a meeting of the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' committee, and so he did not have the time to go through all of the ordinances. "I need time to go through them. I have to apply my mind. Do you want me to sign them without applying my mind? We must uphold the spirit of democracy and ruling through ordinances is not something which is desirable in a democracy," the Governor said, while speaking to reporters in the national capital. "During certain emergencies, you can bring in an ordinance. Thereafter, it has to be ratified in the Assembly session. It cannot happen that you continue promulgating the ordinance again and again. Why is there a Legislative Assembly if you are going to rule through ordinances," the Governor questioned.
Among the ordinances set to expire, the Kerala Lokayukta (Amendment) Ordinance provides that the Governor, Chief Minister or the state government would be the competent authority and that he or she may either accept or reject any declaration by the Lokayukta, after giving the accused an opportunity to be heard.
According to reports, the Kerala government brought in an ordinance intending to curb the Chancellor's power in the appointment of Vice Chancellor to Kerala University. However, the Governor constituted a committee of his own for the appointment of Vice-Chancellor in an attempt at challenging the government’s move. It was following this that Governor Arif left for Delhi, and he is expected to be back on August 11. The ordinances, if not signed on Monday, might become void.