Chandigarh: With the Punjab government knocking the doors of the Supreme Court against Governor Banwarilal Purohit for withholding three money Bills, the latter said he was in consultation with all concerned and, in the larger interest of the welfare of people, decided to examine the bills on merit.
A letter to this effect by the governor to CM Bhagwant Mann says that he will soon convey to the Chief Minister his decision on each and every bill separately. “I may point out that after your taking over as CM, I have already given assent to 22 bills out of 27. The five bills, passed by Assembly as well as three money Bills sent by the government recently, are under my consideration and I will take a decision after due consideration in the coming days. I will convey my decision to you accordingly,” he has written.
Though the ruling AAP claimed that the governor had taken a U-turn, sources close to the governor said the letter seems to be a move to counter the state government’s petition in the Supreme Court. The petition was filed and is expected to come up for hearing soon.
The government is going to the Supreme Court for the second time against the governor. The government had earlier approached the SC in February this year after the governor had refused to call the budget session. Official sources said the letter, written by the office of the governor to the secretary, Vidhan Sabha, refusing to allow the government the permission to hold the two-day special sitting of the House on October 20-21, is the basis on which the government has approached the Supreme Court.