New Delhi, July 25 (UNI) State governments should not intrude into matters that are beyond their constitutional jurisdiction, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday, in response to the Kerala government appointing a secretary for “external cooperation”.
“The Constitution of India under the 7th Schedule list 1- Union list, item 10, clearly specifies that foreign affairs and all matters which bring the Union into relation with any foreign country, are the sole prerogative of the Union Government,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
“It is not a concurrent subject and definitely not a state subject. Our position is that state governments should not intrude into matters that are beyond their constitutional jurisdiction,” he added.
On July 15, the Kerala government appointed IAS officer K Vasuki as the “Foreign Secretary” in the state. The move has been widely criticized by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
