Thiruvananthapuram: Governor P. Sathasivam on Saturday withheld the controversial bill passed by the Assembly to regularise MBBS admissions in Kannur and Karuna medical colleges, lending a major relief to the state government, indicted by the Supreme Court for “trying to nullify its ruling”. Before deciding to hold back the Kerala Professional Colleges (Regulation of Admission in Medical Colleges) Bill, the product of a rare bipartisan agreement between the government and the Opposition in the House, Justice Sathasivam called Law Secretary B. G. Hareeendranath to Raj Bhavan and heard his opinion. Both Hareendranath and Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rajeev Sadanandan had expressed their dissent to the bill.
The Governor’s decision is being seen as a breather to the government because he withheld the bill instead of returning it straightaway. Had he returned the bill, it would have complicated the government’s response. The prevailing sense is that the government will wait till the matter is taken up by the apex court in May. Now, with the bill not getting the Governor’s assent, it will lapse. The government also will not be able to re-issue the Ordinance as the Supreme Court has stayed it, till the stay is vacated.
Meanwhile, law minister A. K. Balan told reporters here that the government would consult the Opposition on the future course of action. He said there was no disagreement with Governor’s decision to withhold the bill. The Governor had four options: give his assent to the bill, return the bill, withhold it or refer it to the President. He invoked his powers under subsection of article 200 of the constitution by calling the Law Secretary to Raj Bhavan and informing him of the decision to withhold the bill.
The government would let the bill remain in deep freeze and apprise the SC of the plight of the students, especially the meritorious, who would have to leave the MBBS course midway. The Governor, who had promulgated the ordinance after seeking a few clarifications, took into consideration the stand taken by Mr Sadanandan and Mr Hareendranath.
Mr Sadanandan has apprised the Governor against putting his imprimatur on the bill as it would be viewed as yet another effort to nullify the court mandate. In which case, either he or the chief secretary would have to appear in the Supreme Court and tender an explanation. State BJP leaders had earlier met the governor and urged him not to sign the medical bill and the party’s lone MLA, Mr O Rajagopal, trotted out the argument that he was not in the House, which prevented him from airing his party’s opinion.
