Ahead of polls, West Bengal Governor C. V. Ananda Bose resigns
Kolkata (PTI): In a sudden move days before the assembly elections in West Bengal are scheduled to be announced, Governor CV Ananda Bose resigned from his chair in New Delhi on Thursday evening.
A "shocked" West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that Tamil Nadu Governor and ex-deputy NSA, R N Ravi, will hold additional charge of West Bengal following Bose's exit.
Bose, who was appointed Bengal governor on November 17, 2022, told PTI: "Yes, I have resigned. I have been the Governor of Bengal for three-and-a-half years; it's enough for me."
He, however, did not disclose the grounds of his sudden resignation and whether there was any political pressure that may have prompted his decision.
"I have learnt from Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) that RN Ravi will replace CV Ananda Bose as Bengal governor," Banerjee wrote on her social media handle.
Banerjee alleged that there's a likelihood of Bose being forced to resign "under pressure" from Union Home Minister Amit Shah ahead of the assembly elections.
In a post on X, Banerjee said she was “shocked and deeply concerned” by the sudden development and claimed that she was not certain of the reasons behind it.
“The reasons behind his resignation are not known to me at this moment. However, given the prevailing circumstances, I would not be surprised if the Governor has been subjected to some pressure from the Union Home Minister to serve certain political interests on the eve of the forthcoming state assembly elections,” Banerjee said.
The chief minister further alleged that although Shah informed her about Ravi replacing Bose, she was not consulted in the matter.
“Union Home Minister just informed me that Shri R.N. Ravi is being appointed as Governor of West Bengal. He never consulted with me as per the established convention in this regard,” she said.
Banerjee maintained that such actions undermine the spirit of the Constitution and strike at the foundation of the country's federal structure.
“The Centre must respect the principles of cooperative federalism and refrain from taking unilateral decisions that erode democratic conventions and the dignity of states,” she added.
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Kerala govt opposes Antony Raju plea in HC to suspend conviction
Kochi (Kerala) (PTI): The state government on Thursday filed a statement in the Kerala High Court opposing the plea of former state Transport Minister Antony Raju to suspend his conviction in an evidence-tampering case, saying that granting the relief "would undermine the integrity of the electoral process."
The government said he was seeking the relief only to contest the upcoming assembly polls.
Raju, a leader of the Janadhipathya Kerala Congress—a constituent of the CPI(M)-led LDF in Kerala—moved the High Court after the Thiruvananthapuram District and Sessions Court declined to suspend his conviction.
Opposing his plea, the state government said Raju "has failed to demonstrate any grave injustice or irreparable damage that would occur if the conviction is allowed to operate."
It noted that his tenure as a legislator was almost over when he was convicted and sentenced to three years' imprisonment, and that the assembly polls were "already at the doorstep."
"Furthermore, the petitioner (Raju) committed these crimes in his capacity as an advocate, long before becoming a representative of the people, which aggravates the nature of the misconduct. Granting a stay would undermine the integrity of the electoral process," the government said in its statement.
It further added that Raju's intention or desire to contest in the upcoming election "cannot be treated as an exceptional circumstance warranting suspension of conviction."
"Contesting an election is only a political choice, and the disqualification arising from a conviction is a statutory consequence under Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which cannot be circumvented by invoking the discretionary jurisdiction of this court. Hence, the petition for suspension of conviction deserves to be dismissed," the government said.
Raju was sentenced to three years' simple imprisonment by the Judicial First Class Magistrate-I Court, Nedumangad, in a case related to tampering with evidence while appearing as a lawyer for an Australian national arrested in a drug case in 1990.
Following his conviction, the Kerala Legislative Assembly Secretariat issued a notification confirming his disqualification.
In his plea to the High Court, Raju said the application for suspension of conviction was filed because, as a sitting member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, he stood disqualified from holding office solely due to the conviction.
According to him, unlike a sentence of imprisonment, the disqualification under Section 8(3) of the Representation of the People Act is self-operating and instantaneous, leaving no scope for restitution unless the conviction itself is suspended.
"The petitioner's right to contest the upcoming general election to the state legislative assembly is put in peril due to the conviction imposed on him via the judgment impugned in the criminal appeal, which is indefensible both on facts and law," the petition said.
He also contended that the conviction and sentence passed by the magistrate court were against the law, facts, and evidence, and alleged that the court had committed grave errors in the appreciation of evidence.
"The sentence passed by the court below is excessive and has not taken into consideration the delay of 35 years. The sentence was passed only to disqualify the petitioner under the Representation of the People Act," the petition said.
The High Court is likely to hear the matter on March 6.
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