Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 23: Following issuance of summon for Legislature session on May 25 in the summer capital of Srinagar, the Legislative Assembly Secretariat today asked the MLAs to submit questions, both in starred and un-starred categories, private member’s bills and resolutions on or before May 14.
Official sources said Legislative Assembly Secretary Mohammad Ramzan issued the bulletin today seeking questions, private member’s bills and resolutions from the MLAs on the approval given by Speaker Kavinder Gupta after the Governor yesterday issued summon calling for joint sitting of the Legislature on May 25 followed by separate meeting of the two Houses.
As per the Assembly bulletin, each MLA can submit 20 questions each for the budget session on or before May 14.
“The MLAs will be entitled to submit maximum 10 questions each in starred and un-starred category,” it said.
While the Government gives written replies to starred questions, which are discussed and debated during Question Hour of the Assembly, the MLAs get only written replies for the un-starred questions.
Similarly, the Legislative Assembly Secretariat has also sought five private member’s bills and four private member’s resolutions from each MLA. The deadline for submitting private members’ bills and resolutions has also been fixed as May 14.
The MLAs had to submit questions, bills and resolutions to the Assembly Secretariat, which, in turn, forwards them to the concerned departments for replies.
Meanwhile, Speaker Kavinder Gupta told the Excelsior that calendar for budget session of the Assembly will be issued after re-opening of Civil Secretariat in Srinagar on May 9 i.e. about a fortnight before start of the session.
“We have decided to issue calendar of the session listing working days including day on which the general budget will be presented by Finance Minister Dr Haseeb A Drabu after May 9 when the Assembly Secretariat will also resume working in summer capital of the State,” Gupta said.
Sources said two days each will be reserved for private member’s bills and resolutions during the budget session to give enough time to the MLAs to debate their bills and resolutions.
As many as 64 MLAs were entitled to submit questions, private member’s bill and private member’s resolution in the Assembly during the budget session.
In the House of 89 (87 elected MLAs plus two nominated women), there were 20 MLAs, who have been inducted into the Council of Ministry by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. The State has a total of 23 Ministers including Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti but only 20 of them are members of the Assembly.
While Mehbooba Mufti is not a member of either House so far (Legislative Assembly or Council), two Ministers-Education Minister Naeem Akhter and Cooperatives Minister Chering Dorjey are MLCs.
Two MLAs are Presiding Officers-Speaker Kavinder Gupta and Deputy Speaker Nazir Gurezi.
Two MLAs-Syed Bakar Hussain Rizvi (Zanskar) and Ms Mehjoor (Nominated PDP) are vice chairpersons of the Board and have status of the Ministers.
As per the Assembly rules, the Presiding Officers, Ministers and MLAs with status of Minister can’t ask questions in the Assembly.
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