.jpg)
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala - The CPI(M) state secretary, S.V. Govindhan Master, has said that the Kerala governor's veto of the LDF government's bill to increase the salaries of government employees is unconstitutional.
In a statement to the media on Wednesday, Govindhan Master said that the governor's decision to return the bill to the state assembly is a "blatant violation" of the Constitution.
"The governor is supposed to act as a constitutional head and not as a political representative of the ruling party," Govindhan Master said. "By returning the bill, the governor has clearly shown that he is acting at the behest of the BJP-led central government."
The LDF government had passed the bill in the state assembly with an overwhelming majority. The bill would have increased the salaries of government employees by 25%.
The governor, Arif Mohammed Khan, who is a member of the BJP, returned the bill to the assembly on the grounds that it was "financially unviable."
Govindhan Master said that the governor's decision is "a direct attack on the rights of the people of Kerala."
"The people of Kerala have elected the LDF government to represent them," Govindhan Master said. "The governor has no right to interfere in the legislative process."
The CPI(M) has called for a statewide protest against the governor's decision on Thursday.
Supreme Court Ruling
In a 2014 ruling, the Supreme Court held that the governor's power to veto a bill is "not absolute." The court said that the governor's decision to veto a bill must be based on "a reasonable and cogent ground."
The court also said that the governor's decision to veto a bill can be challenged in court.
The LDF government is likely to challenge the governor's decision in court.
.png)
