Thiruvananthapuram | Welcoming the Supreme Court's landmark verdict against governors delaying assent to bills passed by state assemblies, CPI(M) Kerala state secretary M V Govindan on Friday said it was a setback to the Union government's attempts to destroy federalism in the country.

Addressing reporters here, he said the verdict on the petition of Tamil Nadu government was a warning to the BJP-led central government which was trying to weaken states ruled by opposition parties with its political intervention.

The significant Supreme Court verdict ensures protection to the powers vested with the elected governments in all states, he said.

The SC decision to consider as ‘endorsed' the 10 bills passed and reiterated by the Tamil Nadu assembly has set a new chapter in judicial history, Govindan said.

He said with the new verdict, the Kerala government's appeal before the Supreme Court on the bills passed by the state assembly is also expected to receive a favourable response from the Apex court.

The verdict is a serious blow to the Centre' attempts to use governors to destabilise opposition governments to push their agenda of ‘saffronisation', Govindan said.