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Punjab guv summons assembly session amid back-and-forth over agenda
The session has been called after much back and forth between the Bhagwant Mann government and the governor.
After days of back-and-forth with the Bhagwant Mann government, Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit has finally summoned the assembly session at 11am on Tuesday. The governor-CM face-off had started after the chief minister had sought to prove his strength in the house by taking a floor test. As the governor's office asked for details on the agenda of the session, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) subsequently shot back saying that no governor has ever sought to know the business of the house . With the go-ahead finally, tensions are expected to ease.
"The Hon. Governor, Punjab, has very kindly acceded to our request and summoned the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to meet for it's third session on 27.9.2022 at 11.00 AM at Chandigarh (sic)," Punjab Vidhan Sabha speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said in a tweet.
The order from the governor's office was dated September 24.
On Saturday, the Mann government blinked and shared details of Tuesday's sessions. After earlier saying that the CM wanted to take a floor test, a revised agenda was then shared which mentioned that the proposed session - on Tuesday - will take up issues such as stubble burning and electricity supply, HT reported.
Earlier, the governor had withdrawn assent for a September 22 special sitting for the confidence motion. The Mann government had then decided to hold a regular sitting.
The Punjab governor on Saturday had also responded sharply to the comments by AAP leaders amid the controversy. “After reading your (CM Bhagwant Mann’s) statements in today’s newspapers, it appears to me that perhaps you are too much angry with me. I think your legal advisers are not briefing you adequately," he said in a statement. Citing Article 167 of the Constitution, he further stressed on "duties" of the chief minister, who "respects the furnishing of information to the governor."
Earlier, Mann in a tweet on Friday had written: “Gov/Presi consent before any session of legislature is a formality. In 75 years, no Presi/Gov ever asked list of legislative business before calling session. Legislative business is decided by BAC and speaker. Next Gov will ask all speeches also to be approved by him. It’s too much (sic)."
