Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government will prepare a draft of the legislation against the farm laws of the central government within a week. The Bill is likely to be tabled and passed during the Budget session of the Assembly, and then send to the President.
A special committee will be formed by including the chiefs of various departments for preparing the draft legislation. The government has called for a high-level meet on Saturday for this. Principal Secretary (revenue & cooperation), Secretary (animal husbandry, food, law, fisheries), agricultural chief planning board and agricultural director will also be part of the meet.
Minister V S Sunil Kumar had formed a nine-member committee led by the state prices board chairman to check the feasibility of formulating the law. The report prepared by the committee will be submitted in the high-level committee.
The Agriculture Minister has instructed the additional advocate general to study in detail of the subjects to be included in the legislation and report by Saturday.
Legislation as per the Article 304(B) of the Constitution
The Central government, through the farm laws, has infringed on the powers granted to the states by the Constitution, according to the legal advice received by the state government.
As the provisions of the farm laws drastically affect the state, the government has decided to bring in a legislation, as per the Article 304(B) of the Constitution.
The legal department had said that the state government could either approach the Supreme Court against the central laws or formulate the legislation to counter the farm laws. But the legal experts opined against approaching the Supreme Court for now.
Protesting farmers write to Governor
Farmers, who have been protesting along the Delhi-Haryana border, have written to Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, requesting him to permit the government to pass a resolution against the contentious farm laws.
K V Biju, national coordinator of Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh, wrote in the letter that the farmers had requested the government to pass a resolution in Kerala. Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh is one of the outfits leading the farmers' agitation.
The Centre does not have the authority to pass law in the agricultural sector, which falls under the purview of the State. The laws will affect the procurement of the crops in Kerala too, the letter said.
We did not expect the Governor to support laws that harass the farmers and help the corporates. If Kerala passes the resolution, it would be a boost to the farmers protesting in Delhi. Thirty-one farmers have died so far, the letter pointed out.
The letter concluded with a plea to do everything possible to help the farmers.
