Kerala assembly: Heated exchanges as speaker rejects Pinarayi's comments on ex-governor's decision to remove PSC chairman

Keralam Assembly Building (File) | Photo credit: The Hindu

The Keralam Assembly on Monday witnessed a heated exchange between Chief Minister VD Satheesan and Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan after Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan denied permission to Mr. Vijayan’s submission on constitutional issues arising out of former Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar’s recommendation to the Public Service Commission (Keralam) Chairman BaiCPS (KeralaPS) to remove the Public Service Chairman Keralam.

Referring to the rules of procedure and proceedings in the assembly, the Speaker said the House must avoid debating issues concerning the President or the Governor. However, Mr Vijayan said the then Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan allowed an opposition resolution in 2020 urging the President of India to recall Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and left it to the government to decide whether discussions should take place.

“It is an important issue not only for the state but for the democratic system in the entire country because constitutional values are at stake. Article 163 clearly says that the Governor can only act in accordance with the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers. The Supreme Court and the High Courts have made this clear in the past. It also includes legal issues related to the PSC, a constitutional body,” he said.

At this point, Mr. Satheesan intervened and said that the Government would have to respond if the Leader of the Opposition continued to raise the issue even after the Speaker ruled that it could not be allowed under the rules of business.

Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph said that once the Speaker gives a decision, everyone must follow it.

The Chairperson stated that the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) would discuss in the coming days whether this matter could be addressed.

A raging controversy

The switch in the Assembly comes amid raging disputes in the state over the governor’s recommendation. Terming the Governor’s move unconstitutional, the CPI(M) State Secretariat demanded that the Chief Minister clarify his stand on the Governor’s recommendation to the President to dissolve the PSC.

While the chief minister is yet to express his stand, most of the UDF ministers who spoke on Sunday supported the governor’s move. However, several of them, including AP Revenue Minister Anil Kumar and Sports Minister OJ Janeesh, struck a different note, calling it a constitutional impropriety for the former governor to “hastily” recommend the action without the government’s knowledge while an investigation was underway.

CPI(M) charges.

The CPI(M) accuses Mr Satheesan of sharing a cordial relationship with the former governor who “implemented Sangh Parivar politics” in Kerala. The posting program organized by the government for Mr. Arlekar, who left the state last week, also led to accusations of the government having a collusion with the BJP.

Published – 26 Oct 2026 13:27 IST