SC declares June session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha valid, asks Governor to process pending bills

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday declared the June session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to be valid and asked the Governor to process the pending bills in accordance with the law.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud upheld the validity of the Punjab Assembly session of June 19-20 this year.

"We are of the view that the Governor of Punjab must now proceed to take decisions on bills submitted for assent that were passed by the House on June 19-20, 2023, which were constitutionally valid," the court said.

However, the court clarified that it has not expressed an opinion on the constitutional exercise of the governor.

The court also pulled up the Punjab Governor for casting doubt on the validity of the session of the House. The legislative assembly comprises duly elected members of the legislature, the court said.

The court said that any attempt to cast doubt on the session of the legislature would be fraught with the great perils of democracy. The Speaker, who has been recognised as the guardian of the privileges of the House, was acting in his jurisdiction in adjourning the House sine die, the court said.

During the hearing, the top court said that if democracy has to work, it has to work in the hands of the CM and governor as well and one cannot defeat the rules of the legislative assembly.

SC remarked that what the government is doing in Punjab is also defeating the Constitution. SC said we are not happy with the governor as well.

SC remarked that what is happening in Punjab is a matter of serious concern. SC noted that not passing the bill and saying that the session is invalid is like playing with fire.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta urged SC to give a week's time to find a solution to the issue. "Let us have a solution under the Constitution," Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said.

The court was hearing the Punjab Government petition relating to the governor delaying the clearance of the bills passed by the state government.

The Punjab government has stated that as many as seven bills, including fiscal bills, were passed by the Vidhan Sabha and submitted to the Governor. The state government said that the bills have not been dealt with by the governor in the manner required by Article 200 of the constitution. (ANI)