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Sharmila Bhadoria

Punjab face off: Governor Purohit permits Punjab government's Assembly session on Tuesday

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann with governor Banwarilal Purohit in Chandigarh.  (HT)

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The third assembly session of the Punjab government will begin at 11 am in Chandigarh on Tuesday.

The Punjab Assembly speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan took on to Twitter to thank the Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit to accede their request and summoning the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to meet for its third session.

Notably, the Assembly session of the Bhagwant Mann government to present the trust vote was supposed to be held on 22 September. However, its orders were withdrawn by Governor Banwarilal Purohit a day before citing the "absence of specific rules" to hold a confidence motion.

Also Read: Punjab gets $150 million loan from World Bank to improve finances and public services

"I, Banwarilal Purohit, Governor of Punjab hereby withdraw my orders, regarding summoning of the sixteenth Vidhan Sabha of the state of Punjab to meet for its third (Special) session on Thursday in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha hall", the order on Wednesday read.

Soon after the order was retrieved by the Governor's house, it gathered huge attention as it hinted at the tussle between the Governor and the state government.

Also Read: AAP trust vote: Punjab assembly session cancelled; Kejriwal attacks Modi govt

Afterwards, the Governor started the process of seeking legal advice on the entire matter from the Additional Solicitor General of India Satya Pal Jain.

According to the letter from the Governor House, the legality of the matter was examined by Satya Pal Jain, Additional Solicitor General of India. Satya Pal Jain opined that there is no specific provision regarding the summoning of the Assembly for considering 'confidence motion' only. He gave his opinion based on Punjab Vidhan Sabha Rules of procedure and conduct of business.

In light of the above provision, governor Banwarilal Purohit had withdrawn his permission dated 20 September. On Friday, the Governor asked for information on the legislative business that will be taken up in the Assembly session. However, the order seeking information about the assembly session evoked sharp reactions from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The Punjab Chief Minister called it “too much".

On 23 September Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also took on to Twitter to express that the Governor's assent before any session of Legislature is a mere formality.

Reacting to the Punjab CM's reaction, Governor Banwarilal Purohit said, "After reading your (CM Bhagwant Mann’s) statements in today’s newspapers, it appears to me that perhaps you are too much angry with me. I think your legal advisers are not briefing you adequately."

He went a step forward and also advised Bhagwant Mann to "read the Constitution". The BJP also criticised the Punjab government for its behaviour towards the Governor's query during the Assembly session.

(With agency inputs)

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