Distribution of portfolios among Cabinet colleagues has become a bone of contention between Opposition and treasury bench. As the House was having discussion during zero hour, BJP MlA Madan Kaushik raised question that “as the State Government functions on the name of the Governor, as far as our knowledge is concerned, the Governor has neither allocated portfolios to the Cabinet ministers nor authorised the Chief Minister to hold all the portfolios; so budget presented by the Finance Minister is against the constitution and it has created constitution crisis.” So he sought Assembly Speaker’s intervention on it.
later, he was supported by the leader of Opposition Ajay Bhatt. Sensing a catch-22 situation for the State Government, Chief Minister Harish Rawat said that the Governor distributes portfolios among Cabinet Ministers on the advise of the Chief Minister; so he has not sent any such advise to the Governor so far.
As CM Rawat made this statement, the Opposition demanded from the Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal to give their instruction to the treasury bench and demanded treasury bench to show order of Governor by which treasury bench is running the budget session.
Defending the Government, CM Rawat said that Government is not bound to disclose all the communiqué between State Government and Governor. Then, Bhatt demanded that it has created constitutional crisis; so the House has full right to go through the order of the Governor. Seeing stand-off between allegation and counter reply of opposition and treasury bench, Congress MlA Dr Shailendra Mohan Singhal suggested that the Speaker can seek opinion of Uttarakhand Advocate General (AG).
Meanwhile, opposition rose from their seat to put pressure on the Speaker. Sensing Speaker's intention, CM Rawat said that as there is no constitutional crisis in the State; so there was no need to seek AG's opinion on it. Feeling pressure from opposition and treasury bench, the Speaker adjourned the House till 5.15 pm at 4.30 pm and later extended till 5.30 pm as if the Speaker wants to go through all the aspects before delivering their judgment. As the House re-assembled, MlA Kaushik said that earlier treasury bench was denying and “now they have given us a letter, which says following on the advise of Governor all such portfolios will be with chief minister, signed by chief secretary on February 3.”
Reading the recipients' list of the letter, including all the Personal Secretary of the Cabinet Minister, Principal Secretaries to the Chief Ministers, Principal Secretaries of all the departments and treasury as well, Ajay Bhatt alleged that the letter was marked to everyone other than leader of Opposition. It is a fake letter produced by the treasury bench.
Meanwhile, the Speaker pronounced that after listening to both treasury and opposition, he is rejecting the notice given by the BJP MlAs.Thereafter, the Opposition alleged that now they don't have faith that they would get justice in the House; so “they would love to boycott the House.”
With this announcement, the entire Opposition bench left the House and later treasury bench had discussion with budget-2014-15. After having four days of discussions, the debate on Budget for the year 2014-15 concluded on Thursday. Now, department wise budgets would be presented by Monday.