West Bengal Assembly Speaker meets Governor, stresses constitutional bodies’ coordination

West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee on Friday met Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar at the Raj Bhavan and stressed the need for constitutional institutions to work in sync for public interest.

“The two deliberated for an hour traversing issues and emphasizing constitutional institutions need to be in sync to subserve larger public interest,” the governor wrote.

Dhankhar further said, “Constitutional bodies working in tandem and coordination is quintessential for a functional democracy. Democracy blossoms as a consequence of this wholesomeness. Traditions and practices are our legacy from the past and the same needs to be nurtured in a healthy manner.”

Banerjee had recently complained to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla about “excessive interference” by Dhankhar in matters related to parliamentary democracy and functioning of the House.

Dhankhar had expressed displeasure over Banerjee’s conduct as the Speaker, describing the latter’s allegations as “unfortunate”.

Dhankhar, in a letter to him, had said, “I am more saddened than anguished at your (widely reported in public domain) stance in the recent conference of Speakers with the Lok Sabha Speaker, reflecting that as a Governor I am trying to interfere in the functioning of WB Assembly….. Such stand, more so in the forum concerned, is not in consonance with the office you hold. Just ponder that not even once you have thought of deliberating the issue, if at all any, with me. Such optics damages the institution we need to nurture and of which I happen to be at the apex as per Article 168 of the Constitution.”