Amid widening differences between Raj Bhavan and the ruling LDF in Kerala over various issues, the state government has made its submission before the Union government-appointed Punchhi Commission, that the state legislatures shall be empowered to control the Governors who violate Constitutional values and principles while exercising their power.
According to PTI, the recommendations of the Kerala government to the Justice Madan Mohan Punchhi Commission — which is looking into measures to improve the relationship between the Union government and state governments — was recently approved by the state Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The state has proposed to bring an amendment to the Constitution to make it mandatory for the Union government to hold consultation with the states concerned before appointing the Governors, sources told PTI.
Kerala has also submitted that the state legislatures shall be empowered to remove the Governor from office if he is found violating the principles of the Constitution while discharging his Constitutional and statutory functions such as the Chancellor of the Universities and prosecution sanction authority of Council of Ministers under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The state also submitted that the Governor of a state shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the states concerned and the appointment shall be effected from a panel furnished by the state government.
Similarly, in Article 156 of the Constitution, an amendment was proposed to give the state government concerned a say in the matter of the recall of the Governor, the state has said.
Kerala's recommendations to the panel seeking to control the functions of the Governor came at a time when the state is witnessing a tussle between Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and the Left government over various issues including the alleged political interference in the functioning of universities in the state.