Kerala governor finally gives nod for special assembly session to discuss farm laws

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala governor Arif Mohammed Khan has finally given his consent to a recommendation from the state government for a special session in the legislative assembly on December 31. The special session is being convened to discuss resolution against the contentious farm laws.

The governor had earlier denied permission to convene the session in an earlier request citing that the reasons for the session were not satisfactory. He cited that the issue was not urgent enough to convene a special assembly session, even calling it to “discuss a problem for which you have no jurisdiction to offer any solution”.

This was the first time a governor in the state had denied permission for convening an assembly session.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a letter to the governor had called the move unconstitutional and said that the powers for convening an Assembly session did not come under the discretionary powers of Governor, adding that he was bound by the advice of the Council of Ministers.

The very next day on December 24, the state cabinet had again requested permission to convene an assembly session.

The opposition in the House also had some choice words for the governor’s decision to deny permission with the Congress Deputy Leader in the House K.C. Joseph saying, “He is acting like an agent of the BJP. His decision is not acceptable. It is the prerogative of the house to decide whether an issue is urgent or not.”

Both the ruling alliance LDF and the opposition UDF are in agreement for passing a resolution against the three farm laws that were passed by the Centre in October.

The new laws have led to massive protests in the country by various farmers’ organisations who fear the new laws would lead to the gradual dismantling of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the Mandi system and would leave them at the behest of powerful corporates