CM Siddaramaiah meets Governor over pending Bills ahead of Delhi visit

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah met Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot at Raj Bhavan on Sunday, ahead of his scheduled visit to New Delhi. The meeting is said to have focused on the status of several important Bills that are pending with the Governor.

According to sources, the Chief Minister discussed a number of pending Bills that were passed by the Karnataka Legislature but are yet to receive the Governor’s assent. These include the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (Amendment) Bill, which proposes 4% reservation for members of the Muslim community in government contract works and the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to allocate 10% of the revenue from Grade A and B temples to support smaller Grade C and D temples.

Some of these Bills have already been forwarded to the President of India for consideration, reportedly based on the Governor’s recommendation. CM Siddaramaiah is expected to raise the matter during his Delhi visit.

Ahead of his trip, the Chief Minister is said to have met the Governor to seek clarity on certain objections previously raised and to provide additional explanations and documents, as sought.

In addition to those referred to the President, a few Bills are still awaiting approval at the state level. Siddaramaiah is believed to have requested the Governor to expedite assent to those Bills.

Higher Education Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan (Note: this may need clarification—source says Dr Sudhakar, please confirm) and the Chief Minister’s legal adviser, Ponnanna, were present during the meeting.