Jul 12, 2024 05:47 PM IST
The state government in its plea on Friday has argued that the governor CV Ananda Bose is not approving eight bills.
The Mamata Banerjee government on Friday approached the Supreme Court accusing governor CV Ananda Bose of not approving eight bills.
The state government in its plea on Friday has alleged that the Raj Bhavan’s delay is affecting the welfare of the people for whom the bills were passed in the House, ANI reported.
The plea was filed by lawyer Astha Sharma for an urgent listing, and Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has agreed to consider an early hearing.
The petition claims that eight bills passed since 2022 have been left without any action, making the State Assembly’s efforts ineffective.
West Bengal government has also argued that it was compelled to approach the apex court under Article 32 of the Constitution of India, citing a constitutional crisis caused by the governor’s actions and inactions regarding eight key bills.
The state has alleged that the governor has withheld assent under Article 200 of the Constitution without valid reasons, violating constitutional mandates.
The petitioner has urged the Supreme Court to declare that the governor CV Ananda Bose through his secretary has acted unconstitutionally, illegally, arbitrarily, and unreasonably by not considering and granting assent to bills passed by the State Legislature as well as by failing to consider files, government orders, and policies forwarded by the State Government for his approval.
“The conduct of the governor not only threatens to defeat and subvert the very fundamentals and basic foundation of our Constitution, including the rule of law and democratic good governance, but further proceeds to infringe upon the rights of the people of the State to the welfare measures sought to be implemented through the bills, thereby leading to the state failing in its duties as the parens patriae,” said the petitioner.
The petitioner requested the court to issue appropriate directions to the governor of West Bengal to dispose of all pending bills, files, and government orders forwarded by the State Legislative Assembly and government within a specified timeframe.
The eight bills are the West Bengal University Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2022, The West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences (Amendment) Bill, 2022, the West Bengal Private University Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2022, the West Bengal Krishi Viswavidyalaya Laws (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022, the West Bengal University of Health Sciences (Amendment) Bill, 2022, the Aliah University (Amendment) Bill, 2022, the West Bengal Town and Country (Planning and Development) (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the West Bengal University Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
(With inputs from ANI)
