Will the Siddaramaiah government stand firm against K'taka Governor’s request to remove paragraphs from his address?
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Bengaluru, Jan 22 (NationPress) The conflict between the Congress-led administration and the Governor in Karnataka is set to escalate after the government opted not to remove 11 paragraphs from the Governor's address during the joint session.
According to sources, a potential constitutional crisis looms over this issue, and the state government may approach the Supreme Court to compel the Governor to deliver the address as prepared by the government.
The joint assembly session is slated to commence at 11 am on Thursday. Sources have indicated that the state government is taking a cautious approach until that hour. The Governor is expected to arrive at the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha by 10:55 am. Should the Governor fail to attend or decline to deliver the address on time, the state government is prepared to initiate a legal challenge.
Following directives from the Chief Minister, Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty has departed for New Delhi. Discussions are ongoing regarding the possibility of seeking Supreme Court intervention, sources reveal.
The proposed petition to the Supreme Court will likely request two primary directives: firstly, that the Governor reads the government's address in the assembly, and secondly, that he fulfills his constitutional obligations. The Chief Minister has assigned A.S. Ponnanna and the Advocate General with drafting the petition.
Previously, uncertainty surrounded the Governor’s customary address, as Governor Thawarchand Gehlot requested the removal of 11 paragraphs from the speech crafted by the state Cabinet.
A delegation that met with the Governor indicated that this matter would be reviewed with the Chief Minister, and a decision would be communicated to him.
The joint session is scheduled for Thursday. A delegation led by State Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs H.K. Patil, along with Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty and Chief Minister’s Legal Advisor A.S. Ponnanna, met with the Governor on Wednesday night at Lok Bhavan, following objections he raised regarding certain paragraphs that criticized the Centre concerning the implementation of the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) and other related issues.
Minister Patil addressed the media outside Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru, stating that it is natural for the state government to highlight the injustices faced by the state within the speech.
“The address also calls on the Centre to restore MGNREGA. The Governor has expressed certain reservations. We clarified our readiness to provide additional explanations and amend specific points. However, he insists on the removal of 11 paragraphs. We will discuss this with the Chief Minister and relay our decision to the Governor,” he remarked.
Despite the tensions, Minister Patil expressed confidence that the Governor would proceed with the joint session address.