SYL row: Mann govt calls two-day assembly session on Oct 20 and 21

Move comes a week after cabinet declared that Punjab had no surplus water to share with Haryana or any other state, and there was no question of constructing SYL canal

Chandigarh : Amid the ongoing slugfest over the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on Tuesday called a two-day session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on October 20 and 21.

Move comes a week after cabinet declared that Punjab had no surplus water to share with Haryana or any other state, and there was no question of constructing SYL canal .

The assembly session is likely to primarily focus on the contentious SYL canal issue. The move to convene the session came a week after the state cabinet declared that Punjab had no surplus water to share with Haryana or any other state, and there was no question of constructing the SYL canal. The state cabinet, in its meeting held on October 5, had considered summoning the monsoon session of the state assembly, but decided to wait for the speaker to return from tour.

The opposition parties demanded summoning of a special session following the direction of the Supreme Court asking the Centre to survey the portion of land in Punjab that was allocated for constructing the SYL canal, which has been hanging fire since 1990.

The Punjab Vidhan Sabha secretariat issued the notice summoning the state assembly for the meeting. “Under second proviso to Rule 16 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Punjab, the speaker has been pleased to call the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, which was adjourned side-die on June 20, 2023, to meet at 11 am on October 20,” read the notice sent to all members of the legislative assembly.

‘Extension of budget session’

A Vidhan Sabha official said the two-day sitting would be an extension of the budget session held in March this year with its agenda to be decided by the business advisory committee.

Likely to trigger fresh row with Raj Bhawan

The AAP government’s move to convene the House without seeking Raj Bhawan’s permission as the budget session was adjourned sine-die and not prorogued, is likely to trigger a fresh row with governor Banwarilal Purohit. Both chief minister Bhagwant Mann and Purohit had earlier sparred over the special session of the state assembly held on June 19 and 20 in the same way. Purohit had shot off a letter to Mann, calling it “patently illegal”.

During the special session, four bills --- the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Punjab Universities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Punjab Police Amendment Bill, 2023, and the Punjab Affiliated Colleges (Security of Service) Amendment Bill, 2023, were also passed. Purohit, however, said that calling the two-day session was a “breach of law and procedure”, thereby casting doubt on the legality of the bills during the sitting of the House. Mann had questioned the governor’s stance, calling it “very unfortunate”. The bills are still pending with the governor.

Raj Bhawan did not make any comment on the government decision to call the session on October 21 and 22. Purohit will be on a three-day tour of border districts of the state from Wednesday.