Kerala Governor P Sathasivam has expressed serious concern over the disruptive behaviour of legislators in the State Assembly on budget day on Friday.
The Governor broke with tradition to issue a press note saying that the ugly nature of the events justified invoking Article 356 and reporting as such to the President.
PRESIDENT INFORMED
Under this Article, the President can dismiss a State Government or dissolve a State Assembly or keep it under suspended animation in the event of a failure of the constitutional machinery in that State.
The ruling United Democratic Front, including Finance Minister KM Mani, has disapproved mention of Article 356. But the Opposition Left Democratic Front has welcomed it, saying their stand has been validated.
The Governor has written to the President about the developments, the press note quoted him as saying.
The Legislature Secretary had informed him about how the Speaker’s chair was forcibly wheeled away and thrown into the well of the House and his public address system destroyed.
REPORTS SUBMITTED
In the midst of the bedlam, the Speaker had invited the Finance Minister to present the budget. He proceeded to read out the budget and also present a vote on account, the Legislature Secretary said.
The Governor sought a report from Speaker N Sakthan on the events. Sakthan submitted his report yesterday morning, confirming and endorsing the facts referred to him earlier by the Legislature Secretary.
This was followed up by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who drove to Raj Bhavan to give his account of happenings in the House on Friday.
The press not said the Governor has also examined in detail video clippings and media reports on the developments in the House.
GOVERNOR CONVINCED
From the visuals, he was prima facie convinced that Opposition members had personally insulted the Speaker and used muscle power to block the Finance Minister on the floor.
As a part of the institution of the Legislature, he was anguished by the manner in which a constitutional requirement was obstructed and parliamentary procedures subverted.
The press note quoted the Governor as urging the government to take appropriate action against those responsible for the unruly behaviour in the House so that such events do not happen in the future.
VALIDITY OF BUDGET
The Governor has also forwarded to the Government representations from the LDF and the BJP questioning the validity of the budget, claimed to have been presented in the melee.
They also sought the declaration of the truncated proceedings as unconstitutional.
The Governor has also highlighted the need for passing the appropriation Bill for supplementary demands for grants as well as a vote on account on or before March 31.
“Failing this, the State may have to face a financial breakdown,” he recalled.