From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: In a tussle with Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Miniter Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday knocked the door of the Supreme Court on he refusing to summon the budget session of the Assembly on March 3.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi forced an urgent hearing on behalf of Mann before a bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha.
The issue, however, fizzled out as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Bench that the Governor has agreed to call the session on March 3.
In the morning, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Punjab government, mentioned the matter for an urgent hearing before the bench.
Singhvi contended that the Governor said since the chief minister made some statements in unconnected matters, he would not convene the session. The top court then scheduled the matter for hearing at 3.50 p.m. on Tuesday.
Last week, Governor Banwarilal Purohit said that he will decide on allowing the proposed Budget session of the state slated on March 3 only after seeking legal advice on the “derogatory and patently unconstitutional tweets and letter” written by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
The council of ministers had recommended that the budget session be held from March 3-24 and a letter seeking the Governor’s approval was sent to him.
In the letter, Purohit reproduced the tweets and letter sent by the Chief Minister on February 13 and 14 in response to his letter.
On February 13, the Governor had slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government by questioning decisions taken by it in the past couple of weeks, including lack of transparency in selecting teachers to be sent to Singapore for training.
He had also questioned the appointment of a “tainted” person as chairperson of Punjab Infotech, saying he was accused in property grabbing and kidnapping cases.
The Governor had sought the criteria and details of the entire selection process of Principals for sending them to Singapore as there were allegations of “no transparency.”
