Hindi English Translation || Editorial || A message for maturity: On Governors, Chief Ministers and constitutional boundaries

A message for maturity: On Governors, Chief Ministers and constitutional boundaries

Governors and Chief Ministers should respect constitutional boundaries

Constitutional functionaries (पदाधिकारी, कार्यकर्ता) cannot let rancour prevail over propriety (औचित्य, नैतिकता). This is the substance (significant subject, important matter/content, valid message) and import (आयात) of the Supreme Court’s advice to the Governor and Chief Minister of Punjab that they should display mature statesmanship (राज-नीति) in handling their differences (मतभेद, अंतर). Governor Banwarilal Purohit was indeed (वास्तव में, निर्विवाद रूप से) way (extremely) out of line (not in accordance with something (e.g. constitutional propriety); improper, incorrect, inappropriate) when he indicated that he would act on the Cabinet advice to convene the Budget session of the Punjab Assembly only after he obtained legal advice on the Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann’s response to some of his earlier queries. This stand (view point, point of view, perspective, stance) forced the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to approach the Court against the apparent (प्रकट, तथाकथित) refusal to call (summon, convene, announce, decide, order (a meeting to happen)) the Assembly session. However, the matter was resolved without judicial intervention (हस्तक्षेप), as the Court was informed that the Governor had summoned (बुलवाना, पुकारना) the House to meet as scheduled on March 3. The position regarding the Governor’s power to summon the House under Article 174 of the Constitution (संविधान का अनुच्छेद 174) is now well-known (familiar, common, conventional, established). Even though it says the Governor shall summon the House from time to time (समय - समय पर, कभी कभी) “to meet at such time and place as he thinks fit”, a Constitution Bench (a court of law with a number of judges) had, in Nabam Rebia (2016), ruled that the Governor can summon, prorogue (सत्रावसान करना) and dissolve (disband, disestablish, dismiss, bring to an end, terminate, close down (an assembly)) the House only on the aid and advice (सहायता और सलाह) of the Council of Ministers (मंत्रिपरिषद). It is hardly likely (संभावित, शायद) that Mr. Purohit was unaware of this, but he must have taken such a position because of the state of relations between Raj Bhavan and the Chief Minister’s office.

The Court’s observations covered Mr. Mann’s questionable position too. In response to the Governor questioning the sending of some school principals to Singapore for training, he had replied that he was responsible only to the people of Punjab and not to a Governor appointed by the Centre. He was obviously (evidently, clearly, absolutely, certainly) wrong, as it is laid down in Article 167 that it is the Chief Minister’s duty “to furnish (produce, give, provide) such information relating to the administration (government, regime, executive, authority) of the affairs (matters, activities, concerns) of the State and proposals for legislation (body of laws, acts, rules, regulations, statutes) as the Governor may call for (require, need, necessitate, make necessary, demand, publicly ask for)...”. It is unfortunate that such instances of one-upmanship (the way of behaving in which a person attempts to get an advantage by appearing superior to/better than another person (a friend/opponent); boastfulness, showing off, self-promotion, attention-seeker) between Governors and Chief Ministers are becoming more frequent in various States. Both should be mindful (conscious of, aware of, alert to, careful of, wary of, sensible of) of constitutional boundaries. Some Governors seem to believe that they can stretch (extend, draw out, elongate, expand) their discretion (liking, wish, desire, preference, disposition. choice) to areas not specifically mentioned in the Constitution. The more germane (relevant, pertinent, applicable) reason for this is that incumbents in Raj Bhavan tend to (be disposed, be inclined, have/show a tendency) take their role as the eyes and ears of the Union government too literally (faithfully, closely, exactly, accurately, precisely), and often get into (to become involved in something) the political domain (realm, field, area). While they can indeed guide, caution or advise, they sometimes play the role of commentator (critic, analyst, observer, fault-finder), critic and even the opposition. This does not augur well (bode, indicate, portend (a good outcome)) for constitutional (relating to the Constitution; legal, lawful, legitimate) governance (government, administration, government activity).

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.functionary (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पदाधिकारी, कार्यकर्ता
English Meaning - official, administrator, office-holder, office-bearer, bureaucrat.

2.propriety (noun)

Hindi Meaning - औचित्य, नैतिकता
English Meaning - morality, rightness, correctness, appropriateness, good manners, decency.

3.import (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आयात
English Meaning - importance, significance, substance, seriousness.

4.statesmanship (noun)

Hindi Meaning - राज-नीति
English Meaning - statecraft, negotiations/discussions; the skilful management of a country’s public affairs.

5.difference (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अंतर, मतभेद
English Meaning - difference of opinion, disagreement, dispute, quarrel.

6.indeed (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - वास्तव में, निर्विवाद रूप से
English Meaning - in fact, actually, undeniably.

7.apparent (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रकट, तथाकथित
English Meaning - so-called, alleged, seeming, claimed, professed, plausible, supposed.

8.intervention (noun)

Hindi Meaning - हस्तक्षेप
English Meaning - the process of intervening in something; involvement, interference.

9.summon (verb)

Hindi Meaning - बुलवाना, पुकारना
English Meaning - convene, call, order, call, announce (a meeting to happen).

10.Article 174 of the Constitution (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संविधान का अनुच्छेद 174
English Meaning - Article 174 deals with “Sessions of the State Legislature, prorogation and dissolution”. Under Article 174 (1), the Governor shall summon the House from time to time “to meet at such time and place as he/she thinks fit”,. Article 174 (2) (a) says the governor may from “time to time” prorogue the House and 174 (2) (b) allows her or him to dissolve the Legislative Assembly.

11.from time to time (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - समय - समय पर, कभी कभी
English Meaning - sometimes, occasionally, now and then.

12.prorogue (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सत्रावसान करना
English Meaning - to postpone/terminate/suspend a session of a parliament without dissolving it.

13.aid and advice (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - सहायता और सलाह
English Meaning - The real authority to take decisions lies in the elected government. This is the meaning of ‘aid and advice’. Titular head (Governor/Lt. Governor) has to act in accordance to aid and advice.

14.the Council of Ministers (noun)

Hindi Meaning - मंत्रिपरिषद
English Meaning - the supreme executive organ in a government. The term is usually equivalent to the word “cabinet”.

15.likely (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - संभावित, शायद
English Meaning - possibly, potentially, probably.

16.substance (noun)

English Meaning - significant subject, important matter/content, valid message.

17.rancour (noun)

English Meaning - hostility, bitterness, hate, resentment.

18.prevail upon/prevail over (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - influence, persuade, convince, urge; succeed, triumph, be victorious, gain mastery, prove superior.

19.way (adverb)

English Meaning - extremely.

20.out of line (phrase)

English Meaning - not in accordance with something (e.g. constitutional propriety); improper, incorrect, inappropriate.

21.act on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - comply with, follow, obey, conform to, adhere to, abide by.

22.stand (noun)

English Meaning - view point, point of view, perspective, stance.

23.call (verb)

English Meaning - summon, convene, announce, decide, order (a meeting to happen).

24.well-known (adjective)

English Meaning - familiar, common, conventional, established.

25.bench (noun)

English Meaning - a court of law with a number of judges.

26.Division Bench (noun)

English Meaning - a bench of two or three judges is called a division bench.

27.Constitution Bench (noun)

English Meaning - a bench of the Supreme Court having five or more judges on it. These benches are not a routine phenomenon. Constitution Benches are exceptions, set up only if some circumstances exist.

28.dissolve (verb)

English Meaning - disband, disestablish, dismiss, bring to an end, terminate, close down (an assembly).

29.hardly (adverb)

English Meaning - barely, almost not.

30.observation (noun)

English Meaning - consideration, scrutiny, study; opinion, thought.

31.obviously (adverb)

English Meaning - evidently, clearly, absolutely, certainly.

32.lay down (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - formulate, stipulate, set down, draw up, frame.

33.Article 167 of the Constitution (noun)

English Meaning - it deals with the “Duties of Chief Minister as respects the furnishing of information to Governor, etc.”.

34.furnish (verb)

English Meaning - produce, give, provide.

35.administration (noun)

English Meaning - government, regime, executive, authority.

36.affairs (noun)

English Meaning - matters, activities, concerns.

37.proposal (noun)

English Meaning - plan, programme, suggestion, motion.

38.legislation (noun)

English Meaning - body of laws, acts, rules, regulations, statutes.

39.call for (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - require, need, necessitate, make necessary, demand, publicly ask for.

40.one-upmanship (noun)

English Meaning - the way of behaving in which a person attempts to get an advantage by appearing superior to/better than another person (a friend/opponent); boastfulness, showing off, self-promotion, attention-seeker.

41.mindful (adjective)

English Meaning - conscious of, aware of, alert to, careful of, wary of, sensible of.

42.stretch (verb)

English Meaning - extend, draw out, elongate, expand.

43.discretion (noun)

English Meaning - liking, wish, desire, preference, disposition. choice.

44.germane (adjective)

English Meaning - relevant, pertinent, applicable.

45.incumbent (noun)

English Meaning - the present holder or occupant of an office.

46.tend to (verb)

English Meaning - be disposed, be inclined, have/show a tendency.