West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday sent back Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's recommendation to convene an assembly session from March 7, stating that the proposal did not meet constitutional norms. Dhankhar took to Twitter to inform that he returned the file as the recommendation was not made by the state cabinet as was the norm.
"Hon'ble CM Mamata Banerjee recommendation to summon assembly on March 7 had to be returned for constitutional compliance as Guv summons assembly on the recommendation made by the Cabinet after due compliance of Rules of Business under article 166(3) of constitution," Dhankhar tweeted.
The governor attached a letter that he wrote to the government as he sent back the file. "Only option was to remit file and for constitutional compliance," Dhankhar added. Expressing disappointment, TMC national spokesperson Sukhendu Sekhar Roy noted that Dhankhar had previously "sat over files" duly approved by people's representatives, and returning the recommendation for assembly session was the latest move to "stall administrational work".
"He has also put on hold the bill seeking creation of Bally municipality. The recommendation for summoning the House has been made to him by the chief minister with due endorsement by the parliamentary affairs minister. How come he inferred that it did not have the sanction of the cabinet?" Roy added.
Dhankhar, who has been at loggerheads with the Mamata Banerjee government since assuming the chair of governor, in a tweet on February 12, said that he had prorogued the Assembly. "In exercise of the powers conferred upon me by sub-clause (a) of clause (2) of article 174 of the Constitution, I, Jagdeep Dhankhar, Governor of the State of West Bengal, hereby prorogue the West Bengal Legislative Assembly with effect from 12 February, 2022," he had tweeted.
Parliamentary affairs minister Partha Chatterjee had then clarified that Dhankhar took the decision on the advice of the council of ministers. In a jibe, Chatterjee also alleged that the governor had the "habit of bringing every action of Raj Bhavan and every communication in public domain."
With PTI Inputs
