Move to appoint ex-CJI P Sathasivam as Kerala Governor sparks debate

Thiruvananthapuram, Sept 1: The Centre's reported move to appoint former Chief Justice of India Justice P Sathasivam as Kerala Governor has sparked a debate in political and legal circles on the propriety of giving gubernatorial assignment to a person who retired from the highest judicial office in the country.

While Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the Centre had so far not sought his views on the proposal, KPCC president V M Sudheeran said the issue involved questions of "propriety" but it was for legal and constitutional experts to give answers to them.

"It has been a convention to consult the Chief Minister concerned before appointing the Governor..This practice has been followed during the appointment of previous governors during my tenure as chief minister. (In this case) So far, I have not been consulted. I expect that convention would be followed this time as well," Chandy told reporters in Kozhikode.

Sudheeran said though there had been instances of retired judges being made Governors, the appointment of a former CJI could raise questions of propriety. He, however, added it was for constitutional experts to give an answer to this question, but there was nothing wrong in debating the issue.

PTI