Kerala Guv Arif Khan says ordinance to remove him from chancellorship of varsities is "infructuous"

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan said that the ordinance issued by the Left government seeking to remove him as the chancellor of universities has become "infructuous" now, as the Assembly is summoned. His statement came on Wednesday, November 23.

"Once the House has been summoned, any ordinance, which was sent to the Raj Bhavan earlier, becomes infructuous. So, there is no such ordinance now," he stated. "One after the other, the court is giving judgements in the last six months, in the case of just one university. Three or four judgements were ordered by the High Court. So, it appears as if violation of the law is becoming normal," he added, as per a PTI report.

The Governor said that he would give enough space to rectify and correct the situation. "But if the law is not respected, then ultimately at some stage the Governor is under obligation to act," he added. Khan is at loggerheads with the Left Democratic Front-led government in the state over various issues, including the appointment of vice-chancellors at various universities.

Earlier this month, the state government had issued an ordinance stripping the Governor of the chancellorship of state universities. It also later decided to convene the Assembly session from December 5, a move which drew the governor's comments. A visibly irritated Khan also criticised the recent news reports of Raj Bhavan seeking extra vehicles from the government for the Governor's guests and asked whether he should ask the guests to walk on foot, as per PTI.