Government Vs Governor: Punjab And Tamil Nadu Government Approach Supreme Court Against Governors
Another States vs Governor issue is on the table now. Tamil Nadu government approached Supreme Court against the state’s Governor RN Ravi accusing him of intentionally delaying the bills passed by the State Assembly. Tamil Nadu urged the Supreme Court to direct the Governor to assent or dispose the bill within a specific time frame. The State government of Punjab also went to Supreme Court for the same reason.
Both the petitions were filed on October 28. Punjab Government’s petition was cleared for listing. The status of the Tamil Nadu government’s petition is yet to be known.
The incumbent government of Punjab which is led by Aam Admi Party (AAP) said, the Governor of the state has granted assent to only 22 bills from the total of 27 bills passed by the Legislative Assembly of the State.
After the news broke out about the government approaching Supreme Court against the governor, Mr. Purohit wrote to the Chief minister of the State, Bhagwant Mann and assured that decision on the remaining bills may be granted assent in the coming days.
He wrote, “Rest of the five bills passed by Assembly as well as three money bills sent by the Government recently are under my consideration and I will take a decision after due consideration on them in coming days”, as quoted by Bar and Bench.
This is not the first time the Punjab Government is going to Court against Mr. Purohit. Earlier, the state government has approached the top court citing the failure form Mr. Purohit’s part to summon the budget session of the house. The issue was later disposed as Mr. Purohit later called the assembly following the advice from the council of Ministers.
The Tamil Nadu government, led by DMK party claims 12 of the total bills passed by the state’s assembly is still pending to be granted assent by the Governor RN Ravi. It was alleged that the Governor is sitting on bills to the prosecution of public servants, and the premature release of prisoners.
The state government of Tamil Nadu urges the Supreme Court to issue guidelines regarding the time frame within which the Governors should grant assent to bills passed by the Assembly. The plea to the court read, “By not acting upon their Constitutional functions, the Hon’ble Governor is toying away with the Citizen’s mandate”.
The relation between the Tamil Nadu government and the Governor was not on the straight for some time. Mr. Ravi walked out of the Assembly in January when the Chief Minister M. K. Stalin objected the Governor’s approach of skipping parts of speeches prepared by the State Government.
