Swearing-in of Babul Supriyo becomes subject of Governor-Assembly tussle in Bengal

Babul Supriyo was a two-time MP from Asansol Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal

The oath-taking of the newly elected Trinamool Congress MLA Babul Supriyo ran into troubled waters as West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee crossed swords over the procedure that needs to be followed regarding the programme.

Dhankhar has asked the Assembly secretariat and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee to provide him with details regarding various House proceedings, while the Speaker said it is the governor's constitutional responsibility to make an MLA read the oath and it cannot be conditional.

The governor, who shares an acrimonious relationship with the TMC government, said media reports that he has placed conditions for the singer-turned politician's oath-taking are "misleading".

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If the governor does not conduct the oath-taking ceremony, "he will assign the responsibility to someone else. The oath should be read as early as possible after winning the election. Otherwise, the MLA is deprived of many of his constitutional rights, and the people of the constituency will suffer because of this," Banerjee said.

Supriyo, a former Union minister, was elected on TMC ticket from the Ballygunge constituency in Kolkata in a by-poll held earlier this month.

"Reports in section of media re: oath @SuPriyoBabul as MLA misleading. Under article 188 of constitution, he has to make & subscribe oath before 'Governor, or some person appointed in that behalf by him'. Urgent response sought on issues @itspcofficial is awaited from WBLA," he tweeted.

The Twitter account of the parliamentary affairs minister is @itspcofficial.

Along with his tweet, Dhankhar shared a communication he had sent to the Assembly secretariat on Monday where he had sought to know details regarding various proceedings of the House, including the passing of a resolution against the extension of the BSF's jurisdiction from 15 km stretch from the border to 50 km.

Earlier, Banerjee had claimed that the Assembly secretariat had replied to all the queries of the governor.

According to Assembly sources, a file was sent to Dhankhar seeking his consent so that the Speaker could administer the oath to Supriyo who had quit the BJP and joined the TMC last year.

"Instead of allowing it, the governor had sent back the file and sought answers regarding his queries," a senior TMC MLA said.

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