Prez may remind Guvs, LGs of lakshmanrekha

President Pranab Mukherjee is expected to address all state governors and lieutenant governors of all Union Territories through a video conference next week. 

In the backdrop of some recent controversies that erupted between state governments and governors  in some states, like West Bengal, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in particular, the President might remind governors about their constitutional lakshman rekha. 

It is learned from sources inside the President’s secretariat that Mukherjee might elaborate on the constitutional duties of governors and Lt governors. He is of the view that  governors must play their assigned role while respecting the distinct authority and responsibility vested in each of the three organs of the state, that is the executive , legislature and judiciary.

Sources close to the President said that he believes that the Governor and the Lt governor should help build a harmonious relationship between the Centre and the states, not create any rift.

This being the first message of the President in the New Year, speculations are rife on whether he would give any message to the governors on the demonetisation issue. He might ask governors to play an active role in popularising the Centre’s’ flagship programme on digital India. On the very first day of the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a long one-to-one meeting with the President, the day after his address to the nation.

Sources claimed that both of them reviewed the current situation in the country. But whether President ‘advised’ Prime Minister on this issue could not be verified. President Mukherjee generally does not advise the government on any issue because he believes that under the constitution president acts on the advice of the council of ministers.