Punjab to hold special assembly session on December 19

Punjab council of ministers has convened a special session of the Vidhan Sabha on December 19 to bring certain bills. Sources say all the ordinances which the Badal cabinet had cleared will be converted into bills. The extraordinary move is aimed at clearing all the legal hurdles in implementing populist steps the Badal government has been taking ahead of election code of conduct coming into force.

Punjab council of ministers has convened a special session of the Vidhan Sabha on December 19 to bring certain bills. Sources say all the ordinances which the Badal cabinet had cleared will be converted into bills. The extraordinary move is aimed at clearing all the legal hurdles in implementing populist steps the Badal government has been taking ahead of election code of conduct coming into force.

Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal (HT File Photo)

Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal convened a meeting of his council of ministers on Friday afternoon, less than 24 hours after holding another cabinet meeting on Thursday.

In another development, deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal met governor VP Singh Badnore at Punjab Raj Bhawan. He was accompanied by a battery of officers, including the chief secretary and state advocate general. It is learnt that Badnore was to go out of Chandigarh in the morning, but rescheduled his tour after Sukhbir met him. Sources say Sukhbir’s meeting the governor and the government deciding to hold a cabinet meeting are related developments.