'Not just a rubber stamp': Kerala Governor says he should have been informed before govt moved SC against CAA

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Thursday found fault with the manner Kerala government approached the Supreme Court against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The Kerala government on Tuesday approached the Supreme Court against the CAA, seeking it to be declared unconstitutional and in violation of Article 14, 21, and 25 of the Constitution.

Commenting of the Pinarayi Vijayan's government, the governor said, "I have no issue with them going to SC but they should have informed me first. I being constitutional head come to know about it through newspapers. Clearly, I am not just a rubber stamp."

"This is a breach of protocol and a breach of courtesy. I will look into it whether the state government can go to the SC without the approval of the Governor. If not the approval, they could have just informed me," Khan said. 

He, however, added that he does not find any fault with the decision to challenge the validity of the law. 

"As far as the decision to challenge validity is concerned, I am not finding any fault with it. I feel that the right thing should have been that the state govt should have at least informed me about it," he said. 

The new law promises citizenship to members of 6 non-Muslim communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who entered India before December 31, 2014. Massive protests have erupted across the country against the new law. 

Kerala is the first state to move the apex court against the controversial law that has triggered protests in several parts of the country since it came into being. 

Earlier, Kerala had passed a resolution in the assembly against CAA.

The state government has also suspended the process of National Population Register (NPR).