How can Guv stop newly-elected MLAs from taking oath: Mamata

Kolkata: On Thursday, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised Governor C V Ananda Bose for the delay and confusion surrounding the swearing-in ceremony of two newly-elected Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLAs, Sayantika Bandyopadhyay and Reyat Houssen Sarkar.

The Chief Minister in Nabanna said: “The two legislators have been elected by people’s mandate. What right does the Governor have to stop them from taking oaths? It has been almost a month that uncertainties are shrouding the issue.”

Banerjee also supported the demand of the two newly-elected MLAs that either the Governor comes to the Assembly to administer the oath or nominate the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker to do the same. The two newly elected legislators did not go to Raj Bhawan on Wednesday to take oath as asked by the Governor.

Both the MLAs had earlier urged the Governor if their swearing-in ceremony could be done in the Assembly. Conventionally, in the case of bypolls or in situations where newly elected MLAs need to take oath, the Governor typically delegates the responsibility to administer the oath to either the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. A day after two newly elected MLAs Sayantika Bandyopadhyay from Baranagar and Reyat Houssen Sarkar from Bhagawangola failed to take oath following a row over the venue of the swearing-in ceremony, they staged a dharna on the Assembly compound on Thursday. They continue to face an impasse. Both sat before the statue of B R Ambedkar, demanding that Governor C V Ananda Bose enable them to perform the duty of elected public representatives by facilitating the oath-taking ceremony inside the Assembly. Bandyopadhyay told reporters that they respect the Governor, his chair and the Constitution but he is not adhering to the Constitution.

“He should come to the Assembly and conduct our oath-taking ceremony or give this authority to the Speaker...We are sitting here with the Constitution... We are elected unlike nominated positions like you (Governor),” she added.

The two MLAs waited for the Governor to arrive in the Assembly on Wednesday morning and also staged a sit-in protest inside the Assembly premises later in the day after Governor Bose declined to administer the oath.