Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has made a conflict of interest allegation against former Supreme Court judge Rohinton Fali Nariman, who had criticised him over the “wholesale reference of Bills to the President after sitting on 23 Bills without a decision”. Speaking at an education conclave organised by The New Indian Express on Wednesday, Khan expressed dismay at Nariman’s comments and said, “The judge’s whole anger was directed at me. He repeatedly referred to the 'Governor of Kerala', while ignoring governors of Punjab and Tamil Nadu, who have similar cases pending against them.” Khan suggested that Justice Nariman's allegations against him stemmed from the Kerala government sanctioning substantial legal fees to his father and senior Supreme Court advocate Fali S Nariman, and his associates. Going on to list the break-up of fees paid to Fali Nariman and his junior associates, the Governor said the payments were not made for appearances but solely for legal opinions during the time the state government and Khan were entangled in a legal tussle. "Father is receiving the money while son is blasting the Governor," Khan said. “This relationship is problematic, especially when Nariman's father and his team were paid a significant amount by the Kerala government. Would it be appropriate to pay Rs 40 lakh just for an opinion? Is this even consistent with the principles of natural justice?” he said. A senior CPI(M) leader in Kerala said the party did not want to comment on the matter. In December, while delivering the Bansari Sheth lecture in Mumbai, Justice (retd) Nariman had said: “I am waiting for the day when the Supreme Court will lay down that it is only independent functionaries who are supposed to fill these great offices. Not the kind of people that we find today, like we have in Kerala, for example. In Kerala, after sleeping over the Bills, they have been given to the President in wholesale by the Governor.” Justice (retd) Nariman's remarks came a month after the Kerala government moved the top court against Khan, accusing him of delaying assent to Bills passed by the Assembly. Khan was also rapped by the apex court in the matter. “What was the Governor doing for two years sitting on the Bills?” a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud had questioned. Asked about some states moving Bills to remove Governors from the post of chancellors of state-run universities, Khan said at the event that there was no need to change the current system as it was “a very wise decision taken at that time”. Khan and the Left-led Kerala government have been engaged in a tussle over a series of issues, including over the chancellor post. In the latest incident, on Thursday, the Governor wrapped up his policy address before the Budget Session in less than two minutes, choosing to skip the entire text barring the first and last paras.
