Kolkata, Feb 3 (PTI) West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay on Thursday rubbished the claims of Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar that bills, sent by the state legislature for his assent, were being delayed in Raj Bhavan.
Dhankhar had recently said no files were being held up by him. He had made the comments in response to the claims by Bandyopadhyay and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that many files sent to Raj Bhavan were not being cleared, hampering administrative work.
Bandyopadhyay told reporters in his assembly chamber “I am tired of repeating the same thing. If the governor gives his assent to papers after they are tabled in the assembly and passed, those will automatically come back. However this has not happen. We don’t know the fate of such files.” He said the Speaker’s office is ready to provide all details pertaining to bills awaiting the nod of the governor if anyone files an RTI (right to information request).
Bandyopadhyay had earlier given the example of a bill bifurcating Howrah and Bally civic bodies as one which has been awaiting the governor’s nod, holding up elections to these municipal bodies. The Governor has had several run-ins with the TMC government including with the speaker over bills which the state government says have been inordinately delayed as also the Governor summoning officials, withholding assent to appointment of vice chancellors of universities, etc..
On January 26, the speaker said he requested for footage of the governor’s press meet held in the assembly premises a day before where Dhankhar had attacked the state government and accused the speaker of transgressing constitutional norms, before deciding on his future course of action about governor.
Bandyopadhyay had told reporters on the sidelines of a Republic Day function, that after scrutinising the footage, his office may in future enquire the purpose of any future visits by Dhankar, other than constitutionally mandated appearances such as the governor’s address of the inaugural session of the house.
Dhankhar then retorted as constitutional head he was entitled to visit the assembly whenever required. PTI SUS JRC JRC
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