Governor Purohit has written that “I am in receipt of the Money Bills forwarded for my approval for presentation in the special session of the fourth budget session of the 16th Vidhan Sabha”
Governor Banwarilal Purohit (File Photo)
Even as the Punjab government is preparing to hold the special Vidhan Sabha session on Friday, the Punjab Governor Banwari Lal Purohit has registered his strong dissent through a letter addressed to the chief minister of Punjab Bhagwant Singh Mann. He has said that since the budget session had concluded the extension of such a session is patently illegal.
Governor Purohit has written that “I am in receipt of the Money Bills forwarded for my approval for presentation in the special session of the fourth budget session of the 16th Vidhan Sabha.”
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The three bills to the presented are the Punjab Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (Amendment) Bill 2023, the Punjab Goods and Services (Amendment) Bill 2023, and The Indian Stamp Punjab (Amendment) Bill 2023.
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The Governor has written that he has already made it clear through two separate communications that calling for any such session is “patently illegal.” If such a session is called the business conducted thereof will be “likely unlawful and ab initio void.”
In spite of his letters, a session has been called, and “for this reason, I withhold my approval for the above-mentioned bills.”
The Governor has sought to call a fresh Monsoon/Winter session and also to spell out the specific business to be conducted including the passing of the bills. If this is done the permission would be granted. Else, the matter would be “reported by the Governor to the President of India,” the Governor has stated in his communication to the Punjab CM.
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