The Keralam government is planning to introduce a resolution in the State Assembly next week with the aim of placing a request before the President seeking the return of the Kerala Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Bill, 2025, for the House’s reconsideration.
Higher Education Minister Roji M. John is likely to present the resolution on Monday under Rule 118 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business. Rule 118 deals with the moving of government resolutions in the House.
The government is seeking to get the Bill returned to the House under the conditions set in Article 201 of the Constitution which deals with Bills reserved for consideration of the President. In its resolution, the government will urge the Centre to take steps, through the Governor, to get the Bill returned. If and when the Assembly passes the resolution, the request to the President has to go through the Governor.
The Assembly had passed the Kerala State Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Bill, 2025, on March 25, 2025, when the CPI(M)-led LDF government was in power. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar had referred the Bill to the President in September 2025. The President has not given her assent to the Bill so far.
Since then, the Union Home Ministry had sought certain clarifications from the State government regarding the Bill which is in the President’s consideration. The UDF government, which came to power in May this year, has decided not to go ahead with the present Bill.
Such a resolution seeking the return of a Bill referred by the Governor to the President, will also be a first for the Keralam Assembly.
Published – October 09, 2026 07:00 pm IST
