Supreme Court issues notice to Additional Chief Secretary of Governor and centre over withholding of state bills

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Additional Chief Secretary to the Governor Arif Muhammad Khan for sending the bills passed by the Kerala Assembly to the President. The notice was issued on a petition filed by Kerala against the withholding of bills. A notice has also been given to the central government.

Kerala approached the Supreme Court against the President's refusal to approve the bills. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud has also sent a notice to the Governor of West Bengal on a similar petition. The Supreme Court directed the Union Home Ministry and the Principal Secretary to the Governor to respond to the notice within three weeks.

Supreme Court has not sent notice to the President's Secretary and the Governor, who have made opposite parties in the case by Kerala. Kerala demanded that sending seven bills to the President by the governor and withholding of four bills by the President to be declared as unconstitutional.

Kerala argued in the court that the act of blocking the four bills passed by the assembly was unconstitutional. The petition also demands that the files be summoned to find out what the President and the Governor wrote in the bills that were denied approval. The opposing parties are the Secretary to the President, the Governor and the Central Government. The petitioners are Chief Secretary and MLA T P Ramakrishnan.