The deadlock between the Punjab government and Governor Banwarilal Purohit over assenting to bills passed by the assembly has raised “serious concern,” as declared by the Supreme Court on Friday. Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, expressed dissatisfaction with the ongoing situation in the state. Addressing both parties, the bench emphasized the importance of adhering to established traditions and conventions in the country.
The Supreme Court criticized Governor Purohit for not granting assent to the bills, cautioning him that “you are playing with fire.” It also questioned his authority to label the assembly session as unconstitutional. Simultaneously, the bench raised queries regarding the Punjab government’s decision to adjourn, rather than prorogue, the budget session of the assembly.
Asserting the need for democracy to function in the hands of both the Chief Minister and the Governor, the court announced its intention to issue a concise order to clarify the law regarding the Governor’s power to grant assent to bills. Earlier, on November 6, the court had reminded state governors that they are not elected representatives of the people, expressing concern over Raj Bhavans not acting on bills passed by state legislatures.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was directed to provide details of the actions taken by Governor Purohit on the bills approved by the assembly. The Punjab government had approached the Supreme Court, alleging undue delay in the Governor’s assent, describing such inaction as “unconstitutional” and claiming it had paralyzed the entire administration.
The plea highlighted the Governor’s limited powers under Article 200 of the Constitution, dealing with the power to give or withhold assent to a bill or reserve it for the President’s consideration. The prolonged dispute between Governor Purohit and the Aam Aadmi Party-led government, headed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, remains a contentious issue.
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