Koshyari: Uddhav’s letter ‘threatening’
Maharashtra gov says ‘pained and dismayed’ by note sent by CM over election of Speaker
Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in his letter to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has stated that he was “pained and dismayed” by the “intemperate tone and threatening tenor” of a note sent to him by the chief minister over election of the Speaker. He said it denigrated the high office he held.
In his letter to the government, Mr Koshiyari said he had taken an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, and the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s proposal for holding the Speaker’s election by voice vote seemed unconstitutional and illegal.
Mr Koshyari wrote a letter in response to Mr Thackeray’s letter on Monday evening requesting to give assent to hold the Speaker’s election by Tuesday evening.
In his hard hitting letter to Mr Thackeray, the governor said, “You (chief minister) have mentioned that the said rules have been framed under Article 208 of the Constitution.
It would be pertinent to mention that the same article clearly elucidates that a House of the Legislature of a state may make rules for regulating, subject to the provisions of this Constitution, its procedure and the conduct of its business.”
The governor has also pointed out that the MVA government had taken 11th months to initiate the process of election of the Speaker and the Maharashtra Assembly Rules 6 and 7 have been amended drastically.
“The impact of these far-reaching amendments need to be examined legally. I have never questioned the prerogative of the House in this matter of its procedure/proceedings. However, I can not be pressurised to give consent to a process which prima-facie appears to be unconstitutional and illegal as enshrined in the Article 208 of the Constitution," Mr Koshyari mentioned.
Amid the fear of crossvoting from the ruling parties’ MLAs, the MVA government has amended the rules for the Speaker’s election last week by allowing voice vote instead of secret ballot. This will end chances of cross voting as the legislators who vote against the party whip will stand to face disciplinary action and will get disqualified as legislators.