Punjab: Extended Budget session likely on October 20-21

The government has finally decided that it would organise an extension of the Budget session instead of getting the session prorogued by the Governor.

The government would ratify the GST law and is also likely to bring a resolution on the Sutlej-Yamuna-Link canal. It is also planning to hold a discussion on the M S Swaminathan report on agriculture, sources said.

The extended sitting of the Budget session may provide an opportunity for the Punjab Government to get its four Bills – awaiting assent from Governor Banwarilal Purohit – approved. Last time, the Governor had not accorded legal sanctity to the extension of the session in which four Bills were passed. The special session was convened on June 19 and 20. The Governor had stated that this could only be termed an extension of the Budget session and only Budget-related business could be taken up in the special session also.

The four Bills passed by the Vidhan Sabha included the Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

The government had also sent the Punjab Universities Law (Amendment) Bill, 2023, proposing to remove the Governor as Chancellor of state universities.

The Bill had proposed to vest the powers of the Chancellor of state universities with the chief minister. The move came amid an ongoing tussle between Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Governor Purohit on several issues, including the selection of vice-chancellors of various universities.

The final bill, the Punjab Affiliated Colleges (Security of Service) Amendment Bill, 2023, was passed to streamline the working of the Education Tribunal.

The Governor did not give his assent to these Bills by stating that the session was patently illegal. However, the requirement of the Centre for states’ ratification of the GST Act has provided a window of opportunity for the state which has still not got the Budget session prorogued.

“Since it is the Centre’s requirement, the Governor may allow the ratification, thereby acknowledging the special session. In any case, the government has a case now,” a government functionary said.

As the relationship between the government and the Governor is on the rocks, the government has not been getting the Budget session prorogued, said political experts.

Once the session is adjourned sine die, the government can send the communication to the Governor to get it prorogued. Once the session is prorogued, the government has to get permission from the Governor to call the next session.