KOLKATA: West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose has referred Aparajita Women Child (West Bengal Criminal Law Amendment) Bill 2024, passed in the state Assembly a few days ago, to President Draupadi Murmu for “consideration” after getting the technical report from the Mamata Banerjee government. The Raj Bhavan stated on X-handle on Friday evening, “On receipt of mandatory technical report from the Govt. of West Bengal, Governor has referred the Aparajita Bill for consideration of President of India. But the Raj Bhavan expressed its displeasure over the failure of the Assembly secretariat in providing the text of the debates and its translation as required under the rules.” It elaborated, “At the end of acrimonious debates, mutual accusations, political threats and ultimatum, the Chief Minister had threatened dharna outside of Raj Bhavan if the Bill is not assented to by the Governor. The Governor took umbrage at the intimidatory stance of the CM and admonished government for their failure in observing legal and constitutional proprieties.” The Raj Bhavan said, “Today the Chief Secretary called on the Governor in the forenoon. In the afternoon the mandatory technical report was made available to the Governor by the Government. Governor has reserved the Bill for consideration of the President of India. Now West Bengal Bill will join the lot of similar other Bills pending with the President from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.” It added, “Governor has pointed out the omissions and commissions in the hurriedly passed Bill. He warned the Govt. ‘Don’t act in haste and repent at leisure’. The Governor said that people can not wait till the Bill is implemented. They want justice and justice should be given to them within the framework of the existing law. Government should act effectively, people should get justice. It is govt’s duty to wipe the tears of the bereaved mother who lost her dear daughter. Governor pointed out the glaring defects and lapses in the Bill and advised govt to do their homework instead of going in for knee jerk responses.”
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