A step that could further spark tensions between Nabanna (State Secretariat) and the Raj Bhavan Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday sought form Chief Minister all the records of proceedings related to the setting up of the Justice Lokur Commission of enquiry into the alleged Pegasus snoopgate case.
In doing so the Governor who has no love lost with the State Government invoked Article 167 of the Constitution which requires the Chief Minister to furnish all the information to the Governor on demand.
Earlier the Supreme Court had in an order stopped the Stated Commission to go ahead with inquiry as the Apex Court had already directed an investigation into the matter.
In a letter to the Chief Minister the Governor reportedly claimed that his opinion on the matter had not been taken regardless of the fact that related transactions spoke about “formation of opinion by the Governor.”
In tweet the Governor said “Constrained to invoke Article 167 of the Constitution to seek … all record and proceedings leading to Enquiry Commission” into the Pegasus issue.
“It emanates from the penultimate and last para of Notification dated 26.07.2021 that provisions of sub-sections (2) to (5) of Section 5A of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 have been made applicable to the proceedings of Pegasus Inquiry Commission, premised on the ‘opinion of the Governor’,” Dhankhar said.
The State Government had earlier instituted a Commission of enquiry. Former Supreme Court judge Madan B Lokur and former Calcutta High Court chief justice Jyotirmay Bhattacharya were the panel members.
The Chief Minister had earlier openly attacked the BJP Government for spying on the opposition politicians and some bureaucrats.
“I have plastered the camera of my phone and I have advised my Ministers and bureaucrats to avoid talking important matters over telephone as they have unleashed Pegasus into our lives … this is another way of bulldozing the democracy … even my election consultant Prashant Kishore was not spared and he confirmed that his phone was also tapped … no one is safe in India ruled by the BJP,” Banerjeehad said.