Punjab Governor Banwarlal Purohit resigns
.Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit tendered his resignation from the post on Saturday, February 3, citing “personal reasons and certain other commitments.” In his official letter addressed to President Droupadi Murmu, Purohit submitted his resignation from the position of Governor of Punjab and the Union territory of Chandigarh.
The resignation comes amid an ongoing impasse between Purohit and the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab. The discord revolves around delays in approving pending bills, leading to tensions between the state government and the Governor.
Purohit faced criticism from the Supreme Court on November 10, 2023, regarding the delay in giving assent to five bills passed by the Punjab Assembly. During the hearing, the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, expressed dissatisfaction with the deadlock and warned Purohit, stating, “You are playing with fire.”
On November 23, 2023, the Supreme Court reiterated that a Governor, as the titular head of the state, cannot indefinitely keep bills pending, emphasising that constitutional powers should not be used to stall legislative bills.
Banwarilal Purohit’s meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Chandigarh on Friday, February 2, added a political dimension to the situation. This meeting followed the BJP’s significant victory in the Chandigarh mayoral polls, retaining all three posts and causing a setback to the Congress-Aam Aadmi Party alliance. The alliance alleged rigging of ballot papers by the presiding officer, prompting AAP supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to accuse the BJP of “stealing votes” in the mayoral polls.
The resignation of Governor Purohit, coming in the midst of these political developments and strained relations with the state government, adds a layer of complexity to the ongoing political landscape in Punjab. The move is anticipated to have implications on the power dynamics and future political equations in the state.
The resignation has raised questions about the political fallout and the appointment of a new Governor for Punjab and Chandigarh. Observers are closely monitoring the situation as it unfolds, awaiting further developments and potential repercussions on the political scenario in the region.
As the state awaits the appointment of a new Governor, the dynamics between the political entities in Punjab remain under scrutiny, especially in light of recent electoral outcomes and ongoing power struggles between different factions.
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