Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann. file | Photo Credit: ANI
Days after the Punjab governor asked for a special assembly session last month It was probably a violation of law and procedureChief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on 22 July that it was “very unfortunate” that Governor Banwarilal Purohit did not know whether the June 19–20 session was valid or illegal.
Mr. Mann said that during the tenure of the previous Amarinder Singh government, the assembly session was called twice without the permission of the Governor as the session was not prorogued.
“The special assembly session was called after consulting constitutional experts,” Mr Mann said.
“It is very unfortunate that the Punjab governor does not know whether the session was valid or illegal,” Mr. Mann told reporters in Chandigarh.
He was responding to a question on Mr. Purohit’s July 17 letter in which the governor told him that convening a two-day special assembly session was likely in violation of law and procedure and indicated that he may not sign the bills passed during the House sitting soon.
Mr Purohit had also questioned the legality of the Bills and said he was actively considering seeking the Attorney General’s advice on them or sending them to the President.
Mr Purohit’s reaction came after Mr Mann urged the Governor to sign the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which aims to ensure free-to-air broadcast of Gurbani from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. It was one of the four bills passed during the June 20-21 session.
in response to a question on the live broadcast of ‘Gurbani’ from the Golden TempleMr Mann again criticized the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee for asking a particular channel to continue broadcasting Sikh religious hymns even after the agreement between the two parties expired on July 23.
The AAP-led state government and the SGPC are at loggerheads over live telecast of Gurbani from the Sikh shrine in Amritsar.
While the SGPC has insisted that the broadcasting rights of the religious hymn should be reserved for the apex Sikh body, Mr Mann has demanded its free telecast on all TV channels.