Bengaluru, Jan. 23 -- Karnataka ministers on Thursday strongly criticised Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot for refusing to deliver the customary address prepared by the State government to the Assembly, terming the move a violation of constitutional provisions.

Karnataka Chief Minister's legal advisor AS Ponnanna said, "They must take action against the governor who has refused to discharge his constitutional functions. Thereafter, we can debate on what happened inside the house... The Governor acts purely on the advice of the Council of Ministers; he has no discretion, he cannot decide what must be in the speech, there was nothing unparliamentary..."

The controversy comes amid a faceoff between the Congress-led State government and Raj Bha...