JH Patel pitches in to get fresh term for Governor

BANGALORE, SEPT 7: Chief Minister J H Patel is learnt to have recommended the extension of Governor Khursheed Alam Khan's tenure beyond S...

BANGALORE, SEPT 7: Chief Minister J H Patel is learnt to have recommended the extension of Governor Khursheed Alam Khan’s tenure beyond September 19, the day he is supposed to relinquish office.

Patel has already made a formal request to this effect to the Centre, though no such report is necessary under the Constitution. The Chief Minister, who shares a cordial relationship with the Governor, has cited the ongoing elections as the reason for extending the Governor’s tenure. In his note, he is believed to have said that it would not be prudent to bring about such a change when the election process is yet to be over.

So far, the Centre has not responded to the State Government’s proposal. Till Tuesday, the President had not issued any notification and officials maintained there was still sufficient time for the President to do so.

Khursheed Alam was appointed Governor of Goa on September 20, 1989 for five years. The Chandra Shekhar government at the Centre, however, transferred him to Karnataka and hetook over on January 6, 1991, succeeding Bhanu Pratap Singh. The P V Narasimha Rao-led Congress government gave him a second term with effect from September 19, 1994.

Though some State Government officials say the Governor could continue till his successor is appointed, others do not rule out the possibility of the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court being asked to take over till alternative arrangements are made.

The Constitution under Article 156 prescribes that the Governor can hold his office at the pleasure of the President, and could continue in office till he enjoys the President’s confidence.

Again, under the Constitution there is no bar on a person being appointed Governor more than once. The first instance was the appointment of V V Giri as UP governor in 1958. He was appointed Kerala Governor in 1960 for the unexpired part of his term, and in June 1962 he was re-appointed Governor of Kerala for a second term.

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In the case of Khursheed Alam, there is some degree of anxiety in within theGovernment that the Centre may not clear another term for him as, going by convention, the Centre has not given more than two terms to any Governor.