Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann disclosed that Punjab Governor Banwari Lal Purohit has finally given the green light to three bills passed by the Punjab Legislative Assembly.
The approved bills in question encompass crucial amendments, namely:
1. Registration (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2023
2. Transfer of Property (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2023
3. Indian Stamps (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2023
Yet, amid this approval, tension brewed as Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the delayed approval process, prompting the Punjab Government to seek legal recourse. They’ve approached the Supreme Court, contesting the Punjab Governor’s delayed approvals and seeking resolution.
Furthermore, on the legislative docket were pending Bills designed to address pressing issues. The Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill 2023 aims to establish an independent process for appointing the director-general of police. Simultaneously, the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill 2023 seeks to end undue control over the broadcast rights of sacred Gurbani held by a specific family.
However, Governor Banwari Lal Purohit deferred action on the Punjab University Laws (Amendment) Bill 2023, a contentious piece of legislation seeking to remove him as the chancellor of the state’s universities. He cited doubts about the legal validity of the Bill, presented during a special session on June 20, which proposes transferring the chancellor’s powers to the chief minister, adding a layer of complexity to the ongoing political saga in Punjab.
