Nothing unconstitutional in Lokayukta Amendment Ordinance: Kerala Guv

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 11 (IANS) Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Friday said that there was nothing unconstitutional in the Kerala Lokayukta Act Amendment Ordinance, which he had signed early this week.On Friday, Khan said the responsibility of it lies with the government and he discharged his duty by signing it."I did not see anything unconstitutional in the Ordinance. The Governor is constitutionally duty bound to sign it and I did," said Khan.A team of the Congress-led Opposition had called on Khan and requested him not to sign the Ordinance terming it "against" the Constitution. Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan had written two letters seeking his intervention in the matter and ensuring that the amendment Ordinance does not get signed. The amended Ordinance was sent to Khan last month after Vijayan presided over a Cabinet meeting appearing online from his hospital bed in the US, where he had gone for treatment.After arriving from the US on last Sunday, Vijayan had an hour-long meeting with Khan and the latter put his signature the very next day. This led to the Congress leaders claiming that Vijayan and Khan are hand in glove.Meanwhile on Thursday, a petition was filed in the Kerala High Court demanding a stay on the amended ordinance, but the court while accepting the petition in its file, failed to stay the Ordinance and posted the case for a later date and sought the Vijayan government's response.
--IANS sg/shb/

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