In a recent development, Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit has assured that he will review all bills based on their merit. This statement comes in light of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s decision to approach the Supreme Court following the governor’s withholding of approval for three bills.
Governor Purohit, in a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, emphasized his commitment to the welfare of the state’s residents. He stated,
“I have, in consultation with all the concerned and in the larger interest of the welfare of the people of Punjab, decided to examine all the bills on merit as well as in terms of various provisions of the Constitution of India.”
Purohit also mentioned that he would communicate his decisions on each bill in the upcoming days.
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The governor’s response comes after the AAP government’s announcement on October 20 to curtail its two-day Punjab Assembly session. Chief Minister Mann had declared that the government would seek the Supreme Court’s intervention against the governor’s decision to withhold approval for three bills intended for presentation in the Assembly.
The three bills in question are the Punjab Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Punjab Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Indian Stamp (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2023. Governor Purohit had previously expressed concerns over the October 20-21 session, suggesting that it might be “illegal” and that any business conducted during it could be “unlawful.”
The ongoing disagreement between the Raj Bhavan and the Bhagwant Mann government escalated when Governor Purohit refrained from approving the aforementioned bills. He had also raised “serious doubts” about the propriety and constitutionality of the Punjab Assembly’s summoning and continuation of the session.
This isn’t the first time the AAP government has decided to approach the Supreme Court. Earlier in the year, the Punjab government had petitioned the Supreme Court after alleging that the governor did not respond to the cabinet’s decision to summon the budget session in March.
The AAP has labeled Governor Purohit’s recent letter as a “U-turn.” The party believes that this change in stance is evidence of the governor’s intention to obstruct the AAP government’s initiatives. They further demanded an apology from opposition leaders who had previously labeled the session as illegal.
In conclusion, as the political tussle continues, all eyes are on the Supreme Court’s decision and the governor’s next steps regarding the pending bills.