Kerala LA begins today, bills to replace 11 lapsed ordinances on agenda

A ten-day session of the Kerala Legislative Assembly will begin today.

Notably, Bills to replace 11 ordinances which have lapsed are on the agenda of the state government.

Kerala Speaker MB Rajesh said an early session has been convened as 11 ordinances had lapsed.

"Due to the extraordinary situation created by an inability to promulgate certain ordinances, we're conducting an early session," he said.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan earlier this month refused to give his assent to 11 ordinances that lapsed without studying them in detail.

The Governor had said he was against the "ordinance raj" as it was against the very spirit of democracy. He said he will not give assent to re-promulgation of these ordinances without going through them in detail.

The Supreme Court had passed strictures against the practice of ordinances and promulgating them without ratification of the legislature, Khan said.

"Ruling through an ordinance is against the spirit of democracy. I need time to go through them. During certain emergencies, you can bring an ordinance, but it has to be ratified by the assembly. You cannot promulgate ordinances time and again and then what is the need of the legislative assembly," he had said.

The sixth session is expected to discuss six bills, including the one related to Kerala Lok Ayukta (Amendment) Ordinance 2022.

Rajesh refused to comment on Governor's remarks including those pertaining to Kannur University Vice-Chancellor.

"I'am occupying a constitutional post and Governor also occupying a Constitutional post, I don't want to comment or to respond to someone who is in a Constitutional post," he said.