This time, Governor Dhankhar calls Mamata to Raj Bhavan

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to come over to Raj Bhavan for an interaction as the issues raised by the Governor (in the past) have not been responded to. The Governor has stated that a lack of response to issues raised “has potential to lead to constitutional stalemate”.

The Governor, in the past, has been seeking information from state’s administrative functionaries, and had also asked them to appear at Raj Bhavan, but has not received satisfactory responses at his end, about which he has frequently tweeted and spoken.

“Hon’ble CM Mamata Banerjee has been urged to make it convenient for an interaction at Raj Bhavan anytime during the week ahead as lack of response to issues flagged has potential to lead to constitutional stalemate which we both are ordained by our oath to avert,” Governor Dhankhar tweeted on Thursday, and posted a copy of the letter dated 15 February, written to the chief minister.

In the letter, Governor Dhankhar has stated that dialogue, discussion and deliberation, “particularly amongst constitutional functionaries, like the Chief Minister and the Governor, are quintessential to democracy and (an) inseparable part of constitutional governance.''

The Governor has stated that all his attempts to encourage dialogue and discussion have not materialised given the CM (government’s) stance. “Such a scenario has potential to lead to constitutional stalemate which we both are ordained by our oath to avert,” he stated in the letter to Mamata.

Governor Dhankhar has again pointed out Article 167 of the Constitution to the chief minister to remind her of her duties on furnishing information to the Governor. Article 167 states that it’s the duty of the chief minister to communicate to the Governor “all decisions of the Council of Ministers relating to the administration of the affairs of the State and proposals for legislation”.

It also instructs CMs to furnish information related to the administration of the affairs of the state and proposals for legislation, as asked by the Governor. The Article also states that if a decision has been taken by a minister on a matter without consideration by the Council of Ministers, the same be submitted for the consideration of the Council if the governor feels so. “There are other worrisome aspects also which call for urgent consultations,” the governor has added in the letter.

“I would, thus, urge you to effect response to all issues flagged thus far at the earliest and make it convenient for an interaction at Raj Bhavan anytime during the week ahead,” Governor Dhankhar mentioned in the letter.

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