The Supreme Court has allowed the Kerala government to withdraw two key petitions it had filed against former Governor Arif Mohammed Khan over delays in granting assent to state legislation. The petitions, filed in 2023, cited delays ranging from 7 to 23 months in approving bills passed by the state assembly.
Representing Kerala, Senior Advocate K. K. Venugopal argued that the matter had become redundant following the Supreme Court’s April 8 ruling in the Tamil Nadu Governor case, which clarified constitutional limits on gubernatorial delay. However, the Centre, through Attorney General R. Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, strongly objected, saying the withdrawal could affect an ongoing Presidential Reference under Article 143, dealing with similar constitutional issues.
Despite the Centre’s objections, the bench—led by Justices P. S. Narasimha and A. S. Chandurkar—ruled that Kerala has the right to withdraw its petitions. While the withdrawal was permitted, the bench deferred any additional proceedings until July 25 to ensure procedural clarity.
The case originally arose from Kerala’s claim that the Governor’s prolonged inaction was hampering democratic processes. Although this chapter appears closed for now, the larger constitutional debate around gubernatorial powers continues, with a Constitution Bench set to take up the broader issues in August.
