Punjab Governor turns down Bhagwant Mann’s demand for special session, Kejriwal says ‘democracy is over’

Days after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann called a special Assembly session to prove his majority, Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit has now withdrawn the order summoning the session on September 22.

On Monday, CM Mann said he will move a confidence motion on Thursday. The AAP had earlier accused the BJP of trying to topple its government in the state. "How can the governor refuse a session called by the cabinet? Then democracy is over," AAP convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal tweeted after the development.

The Raj Bhavan cited the absence of specific rules on summoning the Assembly for considering only a confidence motion. The decision came after Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma approached the Governor, arguing that there was no legal provision to convene a special session of the Assembly to just move a 'confidence motion' in favour of the state government.

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