Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister V S
Achuthanandan on Friday defended the cabinet sub-committee`s
approval of the customary annual address of the Governor to
the Assembly instead of the full cabinet, saying there had
been such precedents.
Achuthanandan`s defence came in a letter to state
Governor R S Gavai, who had sought clarifications on
opposition charge that his speech delivered to the Assembly on
February 24 was not approved by the full cabinet.
The Opposition had claimed that the cabinet which met on
February 17 had not approved the address to the Assembly.
Instead, the Governor was asked to present the address with
the approval of a cabinet sub committee, they alleged.
The Chief Minister submitted that there were precedents
of sub-committees of the cabinet, authorised by the cabinet,
approving the address. This had been done during previous
Ministries also, the letter said.
The present controversy arose after Kerala Congress-M MLA
Joseph M Puthussery got a written letter from the state
Information Commission under the RTI Act that the Chief
Secretary had informed that the cabinet had not discussed the
issue before the Governor`s Address.
The Opposition parties, including the Congress, had
recently raised the issue with the Governor, who asked for an
explanation from the government.
PTI
