Chandigarh, June 13: Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit has written to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accusing him of dereliction of Constitutional duty by not responding to his letters, according to a statement issued by the Raj Bhavan on Tuesday.

The press statement comes a day after Purohit levelled similar charges against the chief minister, who had responded through a tweet, accusing the governor of failing to discharge his constitutional duty by not using the word "my government" during his address. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Promises Police Force Modernisation.

Purohit also referred to a Supreme Court order in February which had stated that the governor has a right to seek information from the chief minister, the statement said. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Writes to Governor Banwarilal Purohit To Allow Re-Allocation of Cabinet Ministers.

"Prompted by indifference of State Government towards furnishing information sought by Governor through his various letters, the Punjab Governor and Administrator, UT, Chandigarh, Banwari Lal Purohit has written a letter to Chief Minister, Punjab, Bhagwant Mann reminding him of the dereliction of Constitutional duty," the Raj Bhavan said in a release on Tuesday.

The release quoted the SC order which says, "It would be necessary to underscore that both the Chief Minister and the Governor are constitutional functionaries who have specified roles and obligations earmarked by the Constitution.

"The Governor has a right to seek information from the Chief Minister in terms of Article 167 (b) on matters relating to the administration of the affairs of the State and proposals for legislation. Once such information is sought, the Chief Minister is duty bound to furnish it," it said.

"The tone and tenor of the tweet and the letter by the chief minister leave much to be desired. Not furnishing the information which was sought by the Governor would be plainly in dereliction of the Constitutional duty which is imposed on the Chief Minister in terms of Article 167 (b)," said the order which was quoted by the statement.

The statement said the governor reminded the chief minister that the information sought through his various letters is yet to be furnished, which is dereliction of constitutional duty as observed by the Supreme Court.

In February, a row erupted between the governor and the AAP government after the former had sought certain details, including the process of selecting 36 government school principals for a training seminar in Singapore. Later, the AAP government moved to SC accusing the governor of "refusing" to summon the assembly session.

Replying to Mann's charge that he started referring to the state government as "my" government after the chief minister reminded him in the assembly, Purohit wrote that he "instantly accepted the suggestion, while delivering the speech itself". "Whereas the chief minister has been indifferent to the orders of the Supreme court of India which were passed about four months ago," wrote Purohit.

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