The Governor of West Bengal, CV Ananda Bose, has denied claims that eight Bills passed by the state assembly are pending with the Raj Bhavan. He stated that six of the Bills were sent to the President of India for consideration, while another is currently under judicial review.
Regarding the eighth Bill, the Governor explained that the state government was requested to send a representative to the Raj Bhavan for clarification, but they failed to respond.
Bose emphasized that no Bills are currently pending at the Raj Bhavan and criticized the state government for approaching the Supreme Court without verifying the facts. He cited Article 167 of the Indian Constitution, which outlines the duties of the Chief Minister towards the Governor, implying that the state government should have consulted him before taking legal action.
The Raj Bhavan has further clarified that the six amendment Bills pertain to various universities in the state and were reserved for the President’s review. The West Bengal University Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023, concerning the selection of Vice-Chancellors, is currently being considered by the courts. The West Bengal Town and Country (Planning & Development) (Amendment) Bill, 2023, requires clarification and the state government has not yet responded to the request for a representative.
