JUDGMENT :

Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud, CJI.

1. On 22 February 2023, the Council of Ministers of the Government of Punjab recommended the summoning of the Budget Session of the Sixteenth Punjab Vidhan Sabha on 3 March 2023 under Article 174(1) of the Constitution.

2. On 23 February 2023, the Governor of Punjab addressed a communication to the Chief Minister of the State. The subject of the letter was :

“Cabinet decision on summoning of the house of the legislature of the State on 3rd March 2023.”

3. The letter of the Governor refers to a prior exchange of correspondence between the Governor and the Chief Minister; the Governor having addressed an earlier communication of 13 February 2023 to which the Chief Minister had responded through a letter dated 14 February 2023 and a ’tweet’ of the same date.

4. In his communication of 13 February 2023 to the Chief Minister, the Governor highlighted his concern on certain specific issues, namely :

(i) The basis on which Principals were selected for being sent to Singapore for training; and

(ii) The appointment of the Chairman of the Punjab Information and Communication Technology Corporation Limited.

5. The Governor noted that while the Chief Minister