Punjab Governor vs AAP government: Assembly summoned on March 3, SG Tushar Mehta tells apex court

Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit has summoned the Assembly for the budget session on March 3, his counsel told the Supreme Court on Monday amid a tussle with the AAP government over the issue. The top court, which was hearing the state government’s plea against the governor’s alleged “refusal” to summon the Budget session for March 3, said the Punjab government is duty-bound to furnish information as sought by the governor and at the same time the governor is also duty-bound to accept the recommendations of Cabinet on the convening of assembly.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the governor, told a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud that the plea filed by the Punjab government does not survive in view of the governor’s decision to convene the Assembly.

“The problem may not survive. The Hon’ble governor has passed this letter,” Mehta told the bench also comprising Justice PS Narasimha.

The tussle between Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had worsened last week with Purohit indicating he is in no hurry to summon the assembly’s budget session, and reminding the CM about his “derogatory” response to a letter from the Raj Bhavan.

In that February 13 letter, the governor had asked Mann to explain the process of selecting 36 government school principals for a training seminar held recently in Singapore, and raised other issues as well.

Punjab Cabinet had decided to call the assembly session on March 3 and had requested the governor to summon the House.