Drama unfolded in Kerala Assembly on Tuesday after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accused Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar of making additions and deletions to the policy address approved by
the Council of Ministers. He further requested the Legislative Assembly to accept the Cabinet-approved version as the authentic policy document.
The Chief Minister accused the Governor of making changes in paragraphs 12, 15 and 16 of the policy address delivered by the Governor in the Kerala Assembly.
Speaking in the House during the opening day of the session in the Kerala Legislative Assembly, Vijayan said, “There are certain additions and deletions that were made in the policy address delivered by the Governor today while addressing the House.”
What Were The Alleged Changes?
Highlighting the changes, the Chief Minister said the first sentence of paragraph 12, “Despite having achieved such social and institutional gains, Kerala continues to face a severe financial strain as a result of the Union Government’s persistent adverse actions that weaken the constitutional principles of fiscal federalism” — was omitted by the Governor.
He further noted that the last two sentences of paragraph 15, which stated, “Bills passed by State Legislatures have been kept pending for long periods. In these matters, my Government has approached the Supreme Court, and they have been referred to a Constitution Bench,” were also left out of the Governor’s speech.
Referring to paragraph 16, Vijayan said the Cabinet-approved sentence, “Tax devolution and Finance Commission grants are constitutional entitlements of the States and not acts of generosity, and any pressure exerted on the constitutional institutions entrusted with these responsibilities undermines the federal principles” — was altered by the addition of the words “my Government believes.”
The first session of 2026 in the Kerala Assembly began with the customary policy address by Governor Arlekar, his first since assuming office on January 2, 2025.
(With agency inputs)
