Panjab Assembly Session Cut Short

Before the Panjab assembly session on 20-21 Oct, in which the government was supposed to table two Goods and Tax Bills, Panjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit raised objections to the Money Bills. The Governor asked why there was an inordinate delay in getting an amendment approved from the Panjab Vidhan Sabha when one of these amendments had been approved by the Goods and Services Tax Council in July 2023 and the other was approved by the Lok Sabha in March 2023. In a separate letter to the Chief Minister (CM), Purohit expressed displeasure at the state government's 'inefficient governance accentuated by lack of fiscal prudence' and said the government is diverting capital receipts for undisclosed purposes. He has sought a clarification on the issue. As a result, on the first day of the two-day session, CM Mann informed the Speaker his government will not be tabling any Bills and urged him to adjourn the session indefinitely. He said his government will move the Supreme Court against the Governor's refusal to approve the Bills which were to be tabled in the two-day session of the state assembly. Historically in India, when there are difficulties between a state government and a Center-appointed Governor, the blame is usually on the Governor for interfering in government's functioning on behalf of the Central government. However, in Panjab's case, whether as reported last week about the validity of sessions or now with Money Bills, it is increasingly becoming clear the state government is functioning without regard to due Constitutional rules and procedures.