2-day Punjab Assembly session begins on Tuesday

CHANDIGARH: The two-day Punjab Assembly session, which begins on Tuesday, is likely to be a stormy affair with the opposition parties trying to corner the AAP government over several issues, including law and order, illegal sand mining and the state's debt.

During the session, the Bhagwant Mann government will table three Money Bills - the Punjab Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Punjab Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Indian Stamp (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2023.

Another Bill, the Punjab Canal and Drainage Bill, 2023, is also likely to be tabled in the House. The Bill aims to regulate and manage canals and drainage in the state.

The session will start with obituary references on Tuesday, said officials.

Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit had summoned the two-day session of the state Assembly.

The opposition parties have slammed the AAP government for holding the session for a short duration.

“When the last session ended abruptly, the chief minister assured that in the next session in November, enough time will be given to the opposition to discuss the issues of Punjab,” said Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa.

“I want to ask the CM why he was scared,” said Bajwa.

“The present government has a lot to hide,” the Congress leader alleged as he slammed the AAP government for calling the session just for two days.

“Though they have 92 MLAs in the House, they do not have the strength to face the opposition,” said Bajwa while speaking to reporters in Chandigarh.

When AAP was in the opposition, it used to raise a "hue and cry" that not enough time was given to the opposition in the House, he said, demanding at least 10 sittings of the House for a detailed discussion.

Bajwa said there are several issues like the law and order situation, drugs problem, illegal sand mining, the state's debt and “poor” fiscal situation, which need to be discussed in the House.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, while addressing a gathering in Dhuri, slammed the opposition parties for "not having any issue" to raise.

“Tomorrow, the Vidhan Sabha session will start. Many Bills will be brought in the House,” said Mann.

The governor summoned the session after he prorogued the Budget Session held in March.

The issue of summoning the session by extending the Budget Session by the AAP government was a sore point between the Bhagwant Mann dispensation and the Raj Bhavan.

On November 10, the Supreme Court had pulled up the Punjab governor for "indefinitely sitting over" some Bills passed by the Assembly. "You are playing with fire," it had remarked.

The apex court had also questioned the state government for repeatedly adjourning the Budget Session sine die instead of proroguing it. It, however, upheld the Speaker's supremacy in conducting the business of the House or adjourning its sessions.