Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president V.M. Sudheeran on Sunday sparked a constitutional debate on the propriety of a former Chief Justice of India (CJI) assuming office as the Governor of a State.
Reacting to reports of the impending appointment of P. Sathasivam, former CJI, as Governor of Kerala, Mr. Sudheeran said the CJI was a constitutional functionary who performed the task of swearing-in the President. “There have been occasions when judges have been appointed as Governors, but the move to appoint the former CJI raises questions of constitutional propriety,” he told The Hindu .
“It is for constitutional experts to give their comments on the subjects. But undoubtedly, the move should be subjected to a debate in public domain,” he said.
In reply to another question, Mr. Sudheeran said it was left to the person concerned to decide on accepting the position or not. The KPCC president was inclined to call his remarks ‘soft criticism.’
