Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday, withdrew orders calling for the assembly session for a “confidence motion” called by the Punjab government due to the “absence of specific rules” to do so.
The withdrawal of orders comes in the absence of the specific rules regarding the summoning of the assembly for considering the ‘Confidence motion’, only called by the Punjab Government on 22 September, through the third special session of the sixteenth Vidhan Sabha.
“I, Banwarilal Purohit, Governor of Punjab hereby withdraw my orders, regarding summoning of the sixteenth Vidhan Sabha of the state of Punjab to meet for its third (Special) session on Thursday in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha hall”, read the order.
Addressing a letter to Secretary Punjab Vidhan Sabha, he said that a legal opinion was sorted on the entire matter from the Additional Solicitor General of India Satya Pal Jain.
“This matter was examined and a legal opinion was sought from Satya Pal Jain Additional Solicitor General of India. He has given his legal opinion that there is no specific provision regarding the summoning of the Assembly for considering ‘confidence motion’ only, in Punjab Vidhan Sabha Rules of procedure and conduct of business”, read the letter.
It is in light of the above provision that the Punjab Governor withdrew his offer dated 20 September.
Later the Aam Aadmi Party released a statement on the cancellation of a special session of the House by the Governor of Punjab, saying that this is an example of democracy in Punjab being killed at the behest of the BJP.
“This is another example of the killing of democracy in Punjab at the behest of the BJP. To date in the history of India, the Governor has not cancelled the approval of the special session. This is the first such shameful incident in the history of Indian democracy. The complicity between the BJP and the Congress, which was behind the scenes, has now come to the fore”, stated AAP.
Taking a jibe at Congress MLAs joining BJP in Goa, the AAP party said, “To date, Congress MLAs have been sold all over the country and are now indirectly sold in Punjab also. Similarly, for 70 years, Congress and the BJP together have brutally killed the elected democratic governments”.
The party further stated that, in Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party was bringing this complicity of Operation Lotus to the public, but once again Congress has come to the fore as the security cover of the BJP. The Governor has no right to interfere in the work of an elected government. The Governor seems to be adopting the Viceroy model of the British Raj more than the Indian Constitution. Aam Aadmi Party has always fought against their oppressive policies and will continue to fight even further.