Governor of West Bengal Cites Constitution in Oath Ceremony Dispute

West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose stated on Wednesday that the Constitution grants him the authority to decide who should administer the oath to newly elected MLAs. Bose expressed his desire to personally administer the oath at Raj Bhavan, but the Speaker preferred the ceremony to be held at the legislative assembly.

The governor explained, "I had no objection to fixing the assembly as the venue, but because of the objectionable letter from the Speaker, undermining the dignity of the office of Governor, that option was not found feasible." This statement was made over a phone call from New Delhi.

Governor's Proposal and Speaker's Response

A senior Raj Bhavan official revealed that Bose had suggested nominating the senior-most member of the assembly from the SC or ST community to administer the oath. However, Speaker Biman Banerjee insisted on performing the task himself. This disagreement has prolonged the deadlock over the swearing-in of TMC’s Sayantika Bandyopadhyay and Rayat Hossain Sarkar.

The impasse continued as Bose refused to hold the swearing-in ceremony in the assembly and instead left for New Delhi. The two MLAs expressed their frustration and planned to write another letter to the governor while continuing their sit-in protest inside the assembly premises on Thursday.

Speaker's Accusations

Earlier in the day, Speaker Banerjee voiced his displeasure with the situation, accusing Bose of turning the swearing-in ritual into an ego battle. "We were waiting for the governor to come to the assembly, but he didn't turn up. The governor has turned this into an ego battle. He is exercising his powers. I will also consult legal experts to understand my powers," Banerjee said.

The official also mentioned that if MLAs start attending sessions without taking their oath, they would be fined Rs 500 per day according to existing laws. This adds another layer of complexity to an already tense situation between the governor and the Speaker.

The ongoing dispute highlights a significant clash between constitutional authorities in West Bengal. Both sides seem firm in their positions, making it unclear when or how this deadlock will be resolved.

The situation remains fluid, with both parties seeking legal advice and exploring their respective powers under constitutional provisions. The outcome could set a precedent for future interactions between governors and legislative assemblies in India.