Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar prorogues West Bengal Assembly with immediate effect amid clashes with Govt

 

Kolkata: Adding to the tussles between Raj Bhavan and the West Bengal Government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar prorogued the West Bengal Legislative Assembly today, with immediate effect. Prorogation is the discontinuing a session of Parliament or a legislative assembly without dissolving it. The development may result in a constitutional crisis in the state.

Dhankhar, who shares strained relations with the Mamata Banerjee led government since he assumed the chair of the governor, in a tweet said that he has prorogued the Assembly from February 12. ‘In exercise of the powers conferred upon me by Sub-Clause (a) of Clause (2) of Article 174 of the Constitution, I, Jagdeep Dhankhar, Governor of the State of West Bengal, hereby prorogue the West Bengal Legislative Assembly with effect from 12 February, 2022’, Mr. Dhankhar tweeted. The Governor attached the order signed by him.

WB Guv:

In exercise of the powers conferred upon me by sub-clause (a) of clause (2) of article 174 of the Constitution, I, Jagdeep Dhankhar, Governor of the State of West Bengal, hereby prorogue the West Bengal Legislative Assembly  with effect from 12  February, 2022. pic.twitter.com/dtdHMivIup

— Jagdeep Dhankhar Vice-President of India (@jdhankhar1) February 12, 2022

 

The development comes ahead of the Budget Session of the West Bengal Assembly. The Trinamool Congress leadership, including State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee, had said that the Government was considering bringing a resolution against the Governor in the upcoming Assembly session.

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Reacting to the Governor’s order, the Trinamool leadership described the development as ‘unprecedented’ and an act with ‘political motive’. The Budget Session of the Assembly begins with the Governor’s address to the House. If the Assembly session remains suspended, the State Government will not be able to present its Budget, and that will impact the functioning of the Government.