* Calls for transparency in Legislative business
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 23: Former J&K Legislative Assembly and former Deputy Chief Minister, Kavinder Gupta has strongly criticized the statement of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, who warned MLAs against giving publicity to House business notices, citing it as a breach of privilege.
Terming the Speaker’s stance as an attempt to curtail democratic expression, the former Speaker stated, “The Speaker’s primary responsibility is to safeguard the rights and privileges of the members, not to silence them. Restricting Legislators from sharing House business notices with the public, undermines transparency and raises serious concerns about accountability in governance.”
Kavinder highlighted that calling an All-Party meeting is a routine Legislative practice to ensure that members get a platform to raise issues of public importance. “Legislators are elected representatives of the people, and their duty is to keep the public informed about legislative matters. Imposing restrictions on the dissemination of House business notices reflects an authoritarian approach, which is against the spirit of Parliamentary democracy,” he asserted.
The former Speaker further emphasized that the dissemination of Legislative proceedings is essential for public awareness and engagement. “Democracy thrives on openness and informed discussions. If the government believes in good governance, it must uphold transparency rather than suppressing the voices of public representatives,” he said.
Kavinder warned that such undemocratic moves will only erode public trust in institutions. “The Speaker should act as a custodian of Legislative fairness, not as an enforcer of secrecy. The attempt to suppress MLAs from informing their constituents about issues that directly impact them is unacceptable,” he added.
Calling upon Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather to reconsider his position, Kavinder urged all democratic forces to resist any attempts to dilute the rights of legislators. “The people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve a Legislative Assembly that operates in the true spirit of democracy, not under veiled threats and restrictions,” he asserted.
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