A complication has arisen in the Raj Bhavan regarding the anti-rape Bill. Governor C V Ananda Bose has expressed dissatisfaction with the state government’s handling of the Bill, according to sources close to him.
A Raj Bhavan official said that after the Bill, known as the Aparajita Bill was passed in the Assembly, it was sent to the Raj Bhavan as per procedure. However, the state did not send the necessary ‘technical report’ along with the Bill. Without this report, the Governor cannot give his assent to any Bill. As per rules, any bill passed by the state Assembly is sent to the Raj Bhavan for the Governor’s signature, which turns the Bill into a law. If the Governor is unable to make a decision or needs advice, he may refer the Bill to the President of India, who then takes the final decision.
The Aparajita Bill was passed by the West Bengal Assembly on 3 September and sent to the Raj Bhavan, but it is alleged that the Governor is yet to receive the technical report. The Governor can raise questions about any Bill, asking why it was introduced and how it will be implemented. This information is provided in the technical report, which also includes details on the financial burden the bill might place on the state and how it aligns with central laws. It is believed that the Governor wants this information for the Aparajita Bill.
Sources in the Raj Bhavan indicate that the lack of technical report is a recurring issue between the state and the Governor. The state is often accused of not sending the report, which prevents the Governor from giving his assent, while the state repeatedly accuses the Governor of withholding Bills. The Governor has expressed frustration that the same situation has occurred with an important Bill like the Aparajita Bill.
In response, Speaker Biman Banerjee said, “The Raj Bhavan has not yet communicated with the Assembly regarding this matter. If they do, I will share my opinion.” The Trinamul Congress, on the other hand, stated that the Speaker has sent the Bill to Raj Bhavan and he will handle the issue accordingly.
It is worth noting that after the passage of the anti-rape Bill, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had held a high-level meeting on Thursday at Nabanna, the state secretariat. Chief secretary Manoj Pant, home secretary Nandini Chakraborty, law minister Moloy Ghatak, director general of police Rajiv Kumar, and Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal were present. During the Bill’s passage, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari stated that they support the Bill but emphasized that it is the state government’s responsibility to ensure its implementation. Reports suggest that the chief minister has instructed officials to begin preparations for implementing the Bill.