Impasse over swearing-in 2 newly elected TMC MLAs on sit-in awaiting Guv’s arrival in assembly

     Kolkata, Jun 26 (PTI) Amid an impasse over their swearing-in, two newly elected Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLAs started a sit-in on Wednesday on the premises of the West Bengal assembly, awaiting Governor C V Ananda Bose's arrival by 4 pm to administer their oath of office or authorise the Speaker to do it.
    The two MLAs, Sayantika Bandyopadhyay and Rayat Hossain Sarkar were elected from Baranagar near Kolkata and Bhagwangola in Murshidabad district, respectively.
    Raj Bhavan has maintained that the oath-taking ceremony should occur before Bose at the Governor's House.
    "We have requested the Honourable Governor to come to the assembly and administer the oath of office or delegate it to the Speaker. However, he has declined both options. Therefore, we are waiting on the assembly staircase," Sarkar told reporters.
    Sarkar and Bandyopadhyay were seen carrying placards requesting the governor to allow them to fulfil their duties as elected representatives.
    "Until we take the oath, we cannot function as MLAs. The people of our constituencies are suffering," Bandyopadhyay said.
    Sarkar also mentioned that he and Bandyopadhyay will wait until 4 pm for the Governor to conduct the oath-taking ceremony or give his consent for the swearing-in to take place in the presence of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
    Speaker Biman Banerjee stated, "The oath-taking ceremony is a constitutional protocol, and it is very unfortunate that we are facing this situation. If the Governor is willing, he can come to the Assembly and administer the oath. We will make all necessary arrangements. We have no objection. But there should not be an impasse."
    The Governor had invited both MLAs to attend the oath-taking ceremony at Raj Bhavan on June 26.
    According to constitutional norms, the Governor can administer the oath to an MLA. However, conventionally in the case of by-polls, he assigns the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker to perform this duty in the Assembly.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)