Former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram. file | Photo Credit: Murali Kumar
Former Union Home Minister and veteran Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Friday said that BJP-appointed governors are trampling on democracy in the country by abusing their powers.
Reaction on the Governor of Tamil Nadu RN Ravi’s argument The Bill which was stalled was dead, he said, adding that the Governor has given a strange and peculiar definition to withhold assent to the Bills passed by the State Legislature. In fact, when a governor withholds consent without any valid reason, it means ‘parliamentary democracy is dead’, he tweeted.
Mr. Chidambaram clarified that the Governor is bound to give assent to the Bill or withhold or return the assent. He further said, “If the bill is passed again, the governor is bound to give assent.”
Shri Chidambaram also said that the Governor is only a constitutional functionary. “He is the symbolic head. His powers are severely restricted. He has no authority in most cases. A governor is bound to act on the aid and advice of the chief minister and the council of ministers,” he said.