Educationists’ Forum hails SC observation on Bills pending at Raj Bhavan

Kolkata: The Educationists’ Forum on Friday urged the state government to follow up with the Governor on the various Bills pending with him, while hailing the judgement of the Supreme Court on the interpretation of the provisions of Article 200 of

the Constitution.

“The judgement of the Hon’ble Supreme Court on Punjab on Bills passed by the Legislative Assembly and pending with the Governor is applicable to all the states and obviously for West Bengal as well. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that the consequential lawful action in line with the Supreme Court judgement must be taken by the Governor of West Bengal immediately,” the Forum stated in their

official statement.

In a petition filed by the state of Punjab, the SC had held that if a Governor decides to withhold assent to a Bill, then he has to return the Bill to the Legislature for reconsideration. According to a news agency, it was orally stated that the trend of Governors acting on the Bills only after the state approaches the court must stop.

Reacting to media reports quoting the Speaker of the state Assembly that ‘22 Bills remain pending with Raj Bhavan over the last 12 years’, Governor C V Ananda Bose in a press statement had denied the pendency of any Bill with the

Governor House.

His statement mentioned that 12 Bills are pending with the state government for clarification, one has been assented by the President of India with certain conditions; two Bills are awaiting the President’s consideration while seven Bills relating to university matters are sub-judice.