The Supreme Court on Friday termed the deadlock between the Punjab government and its governor over assent to bills passed by the assembly a matter of “serious concern” and said it is not happy with what is happening in the State.
A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra told both the Punjab government and the governor, “Our country has been running on established traditions and conventions and they need to be followed.” It pulled up the Punjab governor for not giving assent to bills passed by the state assembly saying “you are playing by fire” and questioned his power to term the assembly session as unconstitutional.
The bench also questioned the Punjab government on why it adjourned and not prorogue the budget session of its assembly.
Democracy has to work in the hands of the Chief Minister and in the hands of the governor, it said, adding that it will pass a short order to settle the law on the issue of governor’s power to give assent to bills.