Kolkata: West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee and governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has traded charges among themselves over the fate of a bill which was passed in the recent winter session of the House but is yet to get any constitutional ascent. On Monday Mr Banerjee accused Mr Dhankhar of sitting on the Howrah Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 leading to the delay in civic polls in that city.
He alleged, "Civic polls can not be held in Howrah as the bill is yet to become a law even after it was passed promptly. This should not be the case as there was no reason. What is needed, needs to be understood. If the President can sign the farm bills on the day these were passed, why didn't the same happen with this bill too? We have sent everything to the governor. I do not know why he has held back the bill."
Hitting back at Mr Banerjee immediately, Mr Dhankhar tweeted, "Stunned & surprised @BimanBanerjee18 stance at Howrah Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 pending consideration for want of as response @MamataOfficial to issues flagged on Nov 24. Worrisome: Speaker WBLA for over a year has not made available record in other matters."
Referring to the contents of the bill, he pointed out, "In the aforesaid premise, towards consideration of The Howrah Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in terms of Article 200 of the Constitution, I deem it expedient that following documentation be made available earliest: a) Entire contemporaneous proceedings of hearing and abjudication of objections on 30.7.2021. b) On what premise or authority objections came to be considered by the SDO, Sadar, Howrah / District Magistrate, Howrah. c) Full record of consideration of the objections by the State Government as contemplated under Section 219 (3) of the Act. d) Proceedings and full details of objections and their disposal in relation to The Howrah Municipal Corporation (Second Amendment) Act, 2015. e) The Assembly proceedings with respect to the Bill that finally led to The Howrah Municipal Corporation (Second Amendment) Act, 2015."
