New Delhi: The Supreme Court pulled up the Punjab and Tamil Nadu Governors over delay in giving their nod to bills passed by the respective assemblies.
“Please don’t deflect the course of bills passed by a duly elected assembly. It’s a matter of very serious concern,” a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud said on Friday.
“You’re playing with fire. How can the governor say this? We are not happy with what is happening in Punjab. Will we continue to be a parliamentary democracy?” the CJI made the court’s stand clear.
The top court emphasised that India has been running on established traditions and conventions, and they need to be followed.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-helmed Punjab government had moved the Supreme Court alleging that Governor Banwarilal Purohit had been delaying in giving assent to bills passed by the state assembly.
The petition claimed that the Governor’s “unconstitutional inaction” has brought the entire administration to a “grinding halt.”
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who represented Punjab government, told the court that the Governor had kept back seven bills, including ones related to fiscal management and education, since July which has affected governance.
Justice Chandrachud and other judges directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to place on record action taken by the Punjab Governor on the bills passed by the assembly.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s government and the Governor have been involved in a long-running feud.
Similarly, the DMK-led government in Tamil Nadu has also been at loggerheads with Governor RN Ravi.
The Tamil Nadu government had approached Supreme Court alleging that the Governor was “undermining the will of people” by intentionally delaying bills sent to him for clearance.
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