Kerala Governor returns ordinances on ward delimitation citing election code

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has returned the ordinances approved by the state Cabinet, which aimed to delimit the boundaries of wards in local bodies and increase their numbers, citing the enforcement of the election model code of conduct.

Official sources said on Wednesday the Governor, who received the ordinances on Tuesday, has sent them back to the state Chief Secretary.

The Governor sent the ordinances back to the government, citing the enforcement of the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha polls. He clarified that the ordinances cannot be approved without the Election Commission’s consent, a source said.

The ordinances, cleared by the state Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, sought to amend the Kerala Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, and the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 ahead of the local body elections scheduled in 2025.

These amendments were intended to adjust ward boundaries and numbers in proportion to the population based on the 2011 census.