Thiruvananthapuram: Former Lok Sabha secretary general PDT Achari on Monday reminded Governor Arif Mohammed Khan that the Constitution does not empower the latter to remove ministers in the Kerala government as he pleases.
"That power rests with the Chief Minister alone," Achari said. "Only a Chief Minister can appoint a minister. Similarly, only a CM can remove a minister," Achari said.
"The Governor has no role in play in this. His role is to heed the directives of the council of ministers," Achari added.
The development comes in the wake of Khan's stern warning that statements by any Left minister that "lowers the dignity of his office" would invite action including "withdrawal of pleasure".
In a tweet on Monday sent out from the official Twitter handle of Kerala Governor, Khan said: “The CM and council of ministers have every right to advise Governor. But statements of individual ministers that lower the dignity of the office of the Governor can invite action including withdrawal of pleasure". The tweet was issued by the PRO of Raj Bhavan.
Khan was reportedly angered by a statement that Education Minister R Bindu had made following his sacking of 15 senate members of Kerala University for failing to discharge their duties.
His move was in response to the Senate's failure to nominate a member to a section committee for appointing the next Vice-Chancellor as instructed by the Governor.
The Raj Bhavan noted that the Governor's repeated directions went unheeded.
The Communist Party of India Marxist (CPM) also rapped Governor Khan for making such "anti-Constitutional and anti-democratic" statements.
In a press statement, CPM accused Khan of harbouring political bias and hostility towards the LDF government in Kerala, and urged the President of India to intervene in the matter.
Khan and the ruling Left front have been at loggerheads over a slew of issues including the signing of legislations (the Lok Ayukta and University Laws Amendment Bills) and appointments to state varsities.
While the Left leadership alleged that Khan was creating a constitutional crisis in the state at the behest of the BJP and the RSS, Khan likened the CPM to a terrorist organisation.
