WB Assembly Speaker files affidavit in HC on PIL for Mukul's removal as PAC chief

West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee has filed an affidavit in the Calcutta High Court in connection with a PIL seeking removal of MLA Mukul Roy from the post of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman.

Kolkata: West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee on Thursday filed an affidavit in the Calcutta High Court in connection with a PIL seeking removal of MLA Mukul Roy from the post of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman. A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice R Bharadwaj directed that the matter will be taken up for hearing again on August 24.

The Speaker submitted the affidavit on the appointment of Roy as the PAC chairman. BJP MLA Ambika Roy moved the PIL before the high court seeking removal of Mukul Roy from the post of PAC chairman of the West Bengal assembly, making the Speaker of the House one of the respondents in the petition.

The state government has opposed the prayer claiming that it is the domain and discretion of the Speaker of the Assembly. The petitioner has claimed that the post of PAC chairman traditionally goes to an opposition member, but since Mukul Roy has joined the ruling Trinamool Congress after being elected on a BJP ticket, he should be removed from the post.

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Claiming that a court cannot interfere in the decisions of a Speaker concerning the business or conduct of an Assembly as per Article 212 of the Constitution, Advocate General Kishore Dutta had on July 30 contended before the court that the PIL was not maintainable and should be dismissed.

PTI