Punjab CM seeks quick assent to bills, governor says ‘under active consideration’
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann wrote to governor Banwari Lal Purohit requesting him to grant assent to pending bills forthwith in keeping with the ‘constitutional obligation’ and the spirit of democracy as elucidated in the order of the Supreme Court
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann and governor Banwari Lal Purohit on Friday exchanged letters over five bills passed by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha that are pending latter’s assent.
Mann wrote to Purohit requesting him to grant assent to pending bills forthwith in keeping with the ‘constitutional obligation’ and the spirit of democracy as elucidated in the order of the Supreme Court. The governor responded promptly to the chief minister’s demi-official letter, saying that the bills were under his ‘active consideration’ and appropriate decision according to the law would be taken expeditiously in keeping with the apex court’s November 10 judgment.
The pending bills, along with the governor’s objections to adjournment of the assembly session sine die instead of proroguing it, were at the centre of the latest row between Purohit and the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab. The state government had moved the apex court accusing the governor of sitting over bills.
The Supreme Court, in the judgment uploaded on its website on Thursday, ruled that governors cannot be at liberty to keep bills pending indefinitely. It said that state governors must show deference to the use of expression “as soon as possible” under Article 200 of the Constitution. The bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud also held that the speaker enjoys absolute power for adjourning and proroguing the House.
After the SC order was released, Mann shot off the letter to Purohit on Friday, reminding him about the five bills passed by the state assembly which are pending at his end for assent. Four of these bills were passed in the June 19-20 session. “In your earlier communications, you had stated that the validity of the special sittings of the Vidhan Sabha, convened by the Speaker in June 2023 was in doubt, which was an impediment to clearing the bills. The issue regarding the sitting of Punjab Vidhan Sabha on June 19 & 20 and October 20, 2023, has been held to be valid by the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” Mann wrote, requesting the governor to clear the bills forthwith. The CM also told the media that the Supreme Court, in its order, had asked the governor to take the decision on these bills as soon as possible. “The session has been declared legal. We have also written a letter to the governor. I hope the governor will decide quickly,” he said.
In his reply, Purohit, while informing the CM about the status of the five bills, expressed happiness that the practice of adjourning the assembly sine die and recalling it without proroguing came to an end, finally. “Though it came through the indulgence by the Hon’ble Supreme Court, I am glad that the healthy democratic practices are put on track. In fact, I have been repeatedly advising you to follow the same procedure which was agreed upon by you in the Supreme Court,” the governor replied. The pending bills include the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Punjab Universities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023, The Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Punjab Affiliated Colleges (Security of Service) Amendment Bill, 2023, and the State Vigilance Commission (Repeal) Bill, 2022. Four of these bills were passed by the Punjab assembly during the two-day special sitting on June 19 and 20 this year, but the governor questioned the “legality” of the session held as an extension of the budget session and kept them pending.
5 pending bills
The Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023: It’s aimed at ensuring free-to-air telecast of Gurbani from Amritsar’s Golden Temple in Amritsar by amending the British-era Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925
The Punjab Universities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023: The bill seeks to replace the governor with the CM as chancellor of state-run universities
The Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill, 2023: It seeks to do away with the Supreme Court-mandated procedure in the selection of the state police chief
The Punjab Affiliated Colleges (Security of Service) Amendment Bill, 2023: The bill is aimed at streamlining the working of the Educational Tribunal
The Punjab State Vigilance Commission (Repeal) Bill, 2022: The bill passed on September 30 last year to dissolve the State Vigilance Commission is awaiting the governor’s assent