Legal Battle Unfolds as Punjab Government Challenges Governor's Actions

In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for November 10 to address the Punjab government's concerns over Governor Banwarilal Purohit's inaction. The AAP-led government alleges that the Governor has not taken any action on seven bills that were ratified by the Vidhan Sabha.

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In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for November 10 to address the Punjab government's concerns over Governor Banwarilal Purohit's inaction. The AAP-led government alleges that the Governor has not taken any action on seven bills that were ratified by the Vidhan Sabha.

The Supreme Court has expressed its intention to investigate the situation and has sought clarification on the Governor's actions or lack thereof. A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud emphasized the necessity of Governors acting proactively, saying, "Governors must act even before the matter comes before the Supreme Court." This must cease when governors only act when problems reach the Supreme Court...Governors must do some soul searching and recognize that they are not elected representatives of the people."

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Governor Purohit, assured the court that the Punjab Governor has indeed taken action, and an updated status report will be presented within the next few days. The bench, which also includes Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, decided to list the plea for Friday and requested information on the action taken by the Governor.

The ongoing feud between Governor Purohit and the AAP government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has intensified. On November 1, Governor Purohit granted his approval to two of the three bills sent to him after writing to Mann, explaining that he would assess the proposed laws on their merits before allowing them to be presented in the Assembly. It is worth noting that the Governor's approval is necessary for the tabling of money bills in the House.

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The approved bills include the Punjab Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Indian Stamp (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2023. However, in a prior letter to Mann on October 19, Governor Purohit had withheld approval for three money bills, specifically the Punjab Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Punjab Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Indian Stamp (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2023, which were meant to be tabled in the Assembly during the October 20-21 session. The Governor had criticized this session as "bound to be illegal," with any business conducted during it deemed "unlawful." As a result, the Punjab government had shortened its two-day session on October 20.

Joining the legal plea, the Kerala government has also asserted inaction on the part of the Governor, claiming that bills have been held up for an extended period of two years. This dispute between the Punjab government and the Governor, with its potential ramifications, will soon be subject to the Supreme Court's examination.