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

Governor Jagdeep Dhankar has refused to clear a file relating to that swearing-in ceremony. State Assembly sources said that a file was forwarded to the Governor’s House for clearance from the governor, where the latter’s consent was sought so that the swearing-in ceremony could be conducted within the Assembly premises and Speaker of the Assembly Biman Banerjee administering the formalities for the same.

However, Assembly sources said, the Governor has refused to clear that file for the time being.

IANS contacted the Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee on this issue. He said that he will not make any comment since the governor has the constitutional prerogative. “However, generally in cases of MLAs elected in the mid-term through bypolls, their oaths are administered by the Assembly Speaker. In all assemblies of the countries, this practice is being followed. Even in case of Lok Sabha, in case of MPS elected in the mid-term through bypolls their oaths are administered by the Lok Sabha Speaker. But in this case, since the governor has decided to exercise his constitutional prerogative what more can I say,” Banerjee said.

Trinamool Congress state General Secretary and party spokesman, Kunal Ghosh has criticised the governor for his decision to hold back the file. “The current government is acting against the constitutional norms and misusing his chair. He is acting like the representative of BJP. The manner in which he is delaying the swearing-in function of a newly elected legislator is unprecedented. He should think over his decision again,” Ghosh.

Till the time this report was filed there was no reaction from the Governor House on this count.

The bypolls for Ballygunge Assembly constituency were conducted on April 12, 2022 and the results were declared April 16, 2022. Babul Supriyo emerged as the winner for Trinamool Congress by a margin of 2022 votes. He was a two-time MP from Asansol Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal an also became a minister in the Narendra Modi-led Union government.

However, after the 2021 West Bengal Assembly polls, he joined Trinamool Congress and also resigned as the Asansol MP. Trinamool filed him as a candidate from Ballygunge, where
bypolls were necessitated following the sudden demise of former legislator and state panchayat minister, Subrata Mukherjee in November last year.