The Supreme Court has called for a prompt and proactive approach by governors in addressing bills passed by state assemblies. In response to the ongoing feud between Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, the Supreme Court directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to provide an updated status report on the actions taken by Governor Purohit concerning the bills passed by Punjab Assembly.
A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud emphasized that governors should act on bills even before such matters reach the apex court. Solicitor General Mehta, representing the Punjab Governor, informed the bench that Governor Purohit has already taken action on the bills presented before him, and the legal proceedings initiated by the Punjab government are unnecessary.
The Supreme Court expressed the need for governors to engage in introspection and act proactively, highlighting that governors are not elected representatives of the people. The Solicitor General assured that an updated status report would be submitted in a few days.
The court scheduled the matter for further hearing on November 10. The ongoing dispute revolves around the approval of bills by the Punjab Governor, with the AAP government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, as per a report in The Indian Express.
On November 1, Governor Purohit granted approval to two of the three bills sent to him, following his earlier letter to Chief Minister Mann, indicating that he would examine all proposed laws on their merits before allowing them to be tabled in the Assembly.
Purohit’s approval is required to table money bills in the House. He granted approval for the Punjab Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Indian Stamp (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2023. However, in a letter dated October 19, the governor had withheld his approval for three money bills, including 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. These bills were scheduled to be presented in the Assembly during the October 20-21 session.
Governor Purohit had expressed concerns about the legality of the session and questioned its proceedings, leading to a brief two-day session conducted by the Punjab government on October 20. The matter continues to be a point of contention between the state government and the governor.
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