Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday, 21 September, called the Governor's decision to withdraw orders for a special Assembly session "undemocratic," while Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal blamed it on the "failure of Operation Lotus."
Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday withdrew orders by the Punjab government, which called for an Assembly session for a "confidence motion," citing the "absence of specific rules" to do so.
This comes days after the Punjab cabinet approved the summoning of a special session of the Assembly on 22 September for a confidence motion.
Reacting to the development, Kejriwal tweeted, "How can the governor refuse a session called by the cabinet? Then democracy is over."
Meanwhile, Mann said, "The Governor not allowing the assembly to run raises big questions on the country's democracy."
"Bhim Rao Ji's Constitution on one side and Operation Lotus on the other... People are watching."Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Chief Minister
Mann announced on Monday, 19 September, that a special session of the Assembly would be convened, days after the ruling AAP accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to topple its government in Punjab.
Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly PS Bajwa welcomed the order by the Governor.
"No rule or regulation of Assembly allows govt to call this session. It can be called when no-confidence motion comes from Opposition. It's a lesson for them (AAP) that they can't break institutions, and have to work as per law," Bajwa told news agency ANI.
'No Legal Provision To Convene Special Session'
The governor's decision came after Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira, and Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma approached Purohit, arguing that there was no legal provision to convene a special session of the Assembly to just move a 'confidence motion' in favour of the state government.
"This matter was examined and a legal opinion was sought from Satya Pal Jain, the additional solicitor general of India. He has given his legal opinion that there is no specific provision regarding summoning of the Assembly for considering the 'Confidence Motion' only, in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business," news agency ANI reported, citing a release from the office of Principal Secretary to the Governor.
Recently, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema claimed that the BJP was offering Rs 20-25 crore to each of its MLAs in an attempt to topple the Bhagwant Mann-led government.
Cheema had claimed that BJP leaders were trying to poach the MLAs by instilling the fear of the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate, a claim that has been echoed by even West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
How the Numbers Stack Up for AAP
In the 117-member Punjab Assembly, the Congress has 18 MLAs and the BJP two. The halfway mark to form the government with a simple majority is 59 seats. The AAP has 92 MLAs.
"They are offering to arrange meetings of these MLAs with ‘Babu ji’ and also promising them cabinet ministerial ranks after the BJP forms its government in the state," Cheema had alleged at a press conference.
The Punjab BJP had, however, rubbished the allegations.
(With inputs from ANI.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)