Says there was no response from the Chief Secy on the issue
Kolkata Municipal Corporation. (Photo: IANS)
Invoking Article 167 of the Indian Constitution, the West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, today, shot off a letter to chief minister Mamata Banerjee, seeking information regarding the notification issued by state government on 6 May, concerning formation of the board of administrators to run Kolkata Municipal Corporation.
The Governor also tweeted that his act of invoking the Article, which he previously said he would, is due to lack of any response from the state chief secretary to whom Dhankhar had earlier asked to provide the necessary information to him, as per rules of the constitution.
He wrote to the chief minister that he still awaits the information since the chief secretary has failed to send him any despite being asked to.
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The letter asserted, that there are various representations, including from Opposition parties regarding the 6 May notification issued by the state government, and to take a call on them, it is “imperative” at the chief minister’s end to impart the information forthwith as sought in the earlier letter from the Governor.
Today’s letter also sought information relating to the authority who took the decision to form the board of administrators.
Mr Dhankhar reminded Miss Banerjee that the chief minister is obliged to act in accordance with the constitution, and as Governor, he has to preserve the constitution.
“The information sought by invoking Article 167, is germane to the issue of the KMC notification concerned which has huge ramifications to the entities- local bodies, municipalities and municipal corporations- that are subject to Part IX A of the constitution, which as per representations, is death knell of constitutional prescriptions” said the letter.
The Governor further wrote that Miss Banerjee’s continued “non-responsive” stance when it comes to performance of duties, under constitution, towards the Governor in terms of Article 167, is “unfortunate” and “contrary to a chief minister’s oath under Article 164, and against the essence and spirit of the constitution and surely cannot be countenanced.”
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