Ahead of the two-day session of the Punjab Assembly by the Aam Aadmi Party government, the Governor’s Secretariat on Friday said the session is nothing but an attempt to extend the Budget Session, and “such an extended session is bound to be illegal, and any business conducted during such sessions is unlawful, and ab initio void.”
In a letter from the Governor’s Secretariat to the Assembly secretary, regarding the Assembly session set to start on October 20, it has been pointed out that earlier too, Governor Banwarilal Purohit had raised objections to a similar extended session titled ‘The Special Session of the 4th (Budget) Session of the 16th Punjab Vidhan Sabha’, in June.
“Based on legal advice, and for reasons stated in the said letter, the Hon’ble Governor had pointed out that the calling of such a session was patently illegal, against the accepted procedures and practice of the Legislature, and against the provisions of the Constitution,” the letter said.
It added that “in the present case as well, the calling of ‘A Special Session of the 4th Budget Session of the 16th Punjab Vidhan Sabha’, suggesting that it is a continuance of the fourth session which was adjourned sine die on June 20, is nothing but an attempt to extend the Budget Session, which was summoned by the Governor on March 3, 2023, and which stood concluded on March 22, 2023, after the completion of the agenda for the business of the said session.”
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Referring to the upcoming session, the letter said that “any such extended session is bound to be illegal, and any business conducted during such sessions is unlawful, and ab initio void.”
It’s the second time this year that the AAP government and the Raj Bhavan have seen a flare-up over the summoning of an Assembly sitting.
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