Punjab governor raises a slew of queries over bill on appointment of CM's advisors

PunjabGovernor V P Singh Badnore has raised a slew of queries over a bill, passed recently by the state assembly to regularise the appointment of the six advisors to chief minister in rank of ministers.

The governor raised the queries withholding the assent to the Punjab State Legislature (Prevention of Disqualification) Amendment Bill, 2019, passed during the two-day special session of the state Assembly in November.

The queries pertain to the rights and duties, qualification and emoluments, legality and accountability of the chief minister's advisors, besides the financial implication of their appointment.

Confirming the gubernatorial move, a state government official spokesperson Wednesday said the governor has sought from the state government "certain clarifications" over the the Bill, related to the appointment of six MLAs as the CM's advisors.

"Governor VP Singh Badnore has asked for clarification on certain provisions of the Punjab State Legislature (Prevention of Disqualification) Amendment Bill, 2019 and related matters," said the spokesman.

The governor's letter has been forwarded to the chief minister's office and the necessary response would be submitted soon, he added.

The concerned minister and officers have been directed to clarify the issues raised by the governor so that a suitable response could be shared with the latter at the earliest, to pave the way for inclusion of MLAs in the exempted category covered under conflict of interest provisions of the Prevention of Disqualification legislation, the spokesman said.

The state government had in September this year appointed four MLAs - Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon of Faridkot, Singh Raja Warring of Gidderbaha, Sangat Singh Gilzian of Urmur and Inderbir Singh Bolaria of Amritsar South - as advisors (political), while Kuljeet Singh Nagra of Fatehgarh Sahib, was appointed advisor (planning), in the Cabinet rank and status.

Tarsem Singh DC of Attari was designated Advisor (planning) with the rank of a minister of state.

The Shiromani Akali Dal welcomed Badnore's decision to "return the file which sought to regularise the illegal and unconstitutional appointment of six legislators as advisors in the rank of ministers by amending the Punjab State Legislature (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1952 back to the Congress government".

In a statement here, former minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon said by returning the file, the governor has acted as a bulwark of the constitution.

The governor has also posed thirteen queries to the government clearly indicating that the Act does not stand constitutional scrutiny.

"It would be better for the Congress government to withdraw the Act and apologize to Punjabis for riding roughshod with the Constitution by acting against its 91st amendment which clearly states that the strength of the ministry cannot be more than 15 per cent of the strength of the members of the Vidhan Sabha he said.

The senior SAD leader also demanded that the money spent on salaries, offices and perks to the six advisors as per those given to Cabinet ministers, should now be realized from them and deposited in the state treasury.

Simultaneously disqualification proceedings should be initiated against them for accepting an office of profit, he said.

SAD sources said the queries raised by the governor include whether the posts of advisers were created under a law or an executive order, and what were the facilities, privileges, emoluments and entitlements fixed for them.

The governor has also asked whether the advisors will have acess to the government files, if they will be answerable to the assembly for their day-to-day activities, what will be the legal status of their advice to the CM, among other queries.

The SAD sources added that Badnore has also sought to know the status of the petition to high court challenging the appointment of CM's advisors.