In a fresh twist to the strained relations between Raj Bhavan and the West Bengal Government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday prorogued the West Bengal Legislative Assembly with effect from February 12.
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The development may result in a constitutional crisis.
“In exercise of the powers conferred upon me by Sub-Clause (a) of Clause (2) of Article 174 of the Constitution, I, Jagdeep Dhankhar, Governor of the State of West Bengal, hereby prorogue the West Bengal Legislative Assembly with effect from 12 February, 2022,” Mr. Dhankhar tweeted. The Governor attached the order signed by him.
The development comes ahead of the Budget Session of the West Bengal Assembly. The Trinamool Congress leadership, including State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee, had said that the Government was considering bringing a resolution against the Governor in the upcoming Assembly session.
Trinamool response
Reacting to the Governor’s order, the Trinamool leadership described the development as “unprecedented” and an act with “political motive”.
The Budget Session of the Assembly begins with the Governor’s address to the House. If the Assembly session remains suspended, the State Government will not be able to present its Budget, and that will impact the functioning of the Government.
Relations between the State Government and the Governor reached the nadir a few days ago, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee saying she had blocked the Governor on Twitter. Of late, differences between the Governor and West Bengal Assembly Speaker over passage of Bills have come to fore.
