10235 - Nitish Kumar pitches for abolishing Governor’s post By Mail Today Bureau - Daily Mirror

After the role of Governor in dismissing Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh government came in for criticism from the Supreme Court, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday made a pitch for abolishing the post.

Nitish made the remark at the meeting of the Inter-State Council chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. 

The Supreme Court had come down heavily on the role played by the Governor in Arunachal Pradesh in toppling the Congress government early this year.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar made a pitch for abolishing the post of Governor 

In the landmark judgment the court had restored the government. 

Several opposition leaders have often complained that the Governors were meddling in the affairs of state governments though they agreed that it will be difficult to do away with the constitutional authority.

The Bihar chief minister said that the CM of a state should have a role in the appointment and removal of the Governor. 

“Existing federal democratic structure does not warrant continuance of the gubernatorial post. However, if it is not possible to do away with it, then our opinion is that provisions relating to the appointment of Governor must be clearly defined and made transparent,” he said, setting off a debate on the issue. 

He said that the chief minister of a state should also be consulted and the criteria laid down by Sarkaria Commission should be followed in the Governor's appointment. 

The propensity to change the Governor, whenever a new Government is formed must be curbed by making constitutional provisions, he said. 

An official statement from Bihar government said that the state's Chief Minister must be formally consulted before removal of incumbent Governor and, if required, Article 155 of the Constitution may be amended to provide for such consultation, he added, according to an official statement. 

The chief minister also referred to the Punchhi commission report on the Centre-state relations which had recommended that for the removal of the chief minister, the governor must give the leader of the house a chance to prove majority on the floor of the house. 

In its judgment in the case pertaining to the dismissal of Nabam Tuki government the SC bench had said that the manner of conducting the proceedings was violative of article 163 of the Constitution.