Four new Trinamool MLAs take oath in Bengal; BJP boycotts ceremony

Kolkata, July 23 (IANS) Four Trinamool Congress MLAs elected in the recent bypolls -- Krishna Kalyani, Mukut Mani Adhikari, Supti Pandey, and Madhuparna Thakur -- were sworn in as legislators on Day 2 of the Monsoon Session of the West Bengal Assembly on Tuesday with the Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay administering the oaths. 

However, the BJP’s legislative team boycotted the oath ceremony, calling it 'unconstitutional' since it was conducted without the concurrence of West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose. 

However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was present in the House during the oath ceremony, said everything was done following the constitutional provisions.

“I am a seven-time MP and three-time legislator. Just as there are provisions in the Constitution, there are conventions also. And our task is to bridge the two," the Chief Minister said.

On Monday, the Governor's office shot off letters to two Trinamool Congress legislators who were administered oath recently -- Sayantika Banerjee and Reyat Houssen Sarkar -- cautioning them of financial penalties if they take part in the proceedings of the House.

The communique reminded the two MLAs that since their oaths were administered by the Speaker, and not the Deputy Speaker who had been nominated by Governor Bose for the job, their swearing-in was deemed unconstitutional.

Article 193 of the Constitution gives power to the Governor to impose financial penalties on the two MLAs if they participate in the proceedings or even occupy the chairs allotted to them in the House without the approval of the constitutional head of the state.