Kerala Governor says it is his duty to apprise Centre of state's fiscal crisis

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Tuesday said if the state is in a financial crisis, he is duty-bound to apprise the Centre of the situation.

Addressing reporters in Delhi, he said he has already sought a report in this regard from the Kerala government and would wait for 10 days for them to submit it.

Referring to an affidavit submitted recently by the Kerala government in the High Court on a contempt petition filed by retired KSRTC pensioners for not implementing the court directive to pay pensions, the Governor said the LDF government was not in a position to pay the pension of the staff.

Khan said the Chief Secretary also made it clear in the affidavit that the government was not in a position to honour the financial guarantees it has given.

"... I have asked for the report... Have you heard of any Chief Minister saying that government is not duty-bound to reply to every query of the Governor. Let him not reply. I will wait for 10 days.

If the state is in crisis, it is my duty to make recommendation to the central government," Khan said.

They (the government) themselves have said before the High Court that they were not in a position to honour the financial guarantees, the Governor added.

Khan had a couple of days ago sought a report from the state government after a social activist approached him seeking to impose financial emergency in the state as per Article 360(1) of the Constitution, citing a crisis.