Governor seeks explanation from Mamata on Bengal govt appointing KMC board of administrators

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday sought an explanation from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on her government's decision to appoint a 14-member board of administrators to run the Kolkata Municipal Corporation without informing him.

The administrators were appointed on Wednesday evening to run the day-to-day affairs of the corporation with Mayor Firhad Hakim as its chairman in view of the postponement of the civic elections in the state amid the COVID-19-induced lockdown.

"Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar has, while drawing the attention of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as regards the Notification dated 6 May 2020 about the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, has requested her under Article 167 of the Constitution that casts 'duties' on you 'with respect to the furnishing of information to the Governor' and furnish the information called for by him from the chief secretary (sic)," the Raj Bhavan said in a press statement.

Noting that the governor has sought more information on the notification issued for KMC, the statement said, "Lack of response from the chief secretary has led to the invocation of Article 167 of the Constitution."
Reacting to the governor's assertion that he should have been kept in the loop about the development, senior TMC leader and MP Sougata Roy said, "Law does not state that it is not necessary to inform the governor. The state has issued the order in accordance with the law."