Chandigarh: Governor Banwarilal Purohit and the Punjab government have come face to face over the special session of the Punjab Assembly.
The Aam Aadmi Party government has expressed its resentment over the agenda sought by the Governor of the proposed assembly session on September 27. Following this, Governor Purohit has reprimanded the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in this regard and told him about his responsibilities and his rights.
“After reading your statements in today’s newspapers, it appears to me that perhaps you are ‘too much’ angry with me. I think your legal advisors aren’t giving you enough information. Perhaps your opinion of me will certainly change after reading the provisions of Articles 167 and 168 of the Constitution, which I am quoting for your reference. ”
Article 167: Duties of the Chief Minister with respect to giving information to the Governor etc.—It shall be the duty of the Chief Minister of each State—to inform the Governor of the State of all decisions of the Council of Ministers relating to the administration of state affairs and proposals of law, to furnish such information as the Governor may ask for relating to the administration of state affairs and proposals of law; and if the Governor is required, he may submit any matter for consideration of the Council of Ministers, which has been decided by a Minister but which has not been considered by the Council. In his reply, he has also mentioned about Article 168.
Uproar over ‘Operation Lotus’
There has been an uproar between the government and the governor over Operation Lotus. In fact, the AAP accused the BJP of trying to buy their MLAs. After which a special session was called to prove the majority. Earlier, it was approved by the Governor, but later the former cancelled the session after opposition MLAs objected to it citing violating of norms.