Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 8: The Legislative Assembly has received 977 questions (both starred and un-starred) for budget session of the Legislature, which means that some of the MLAs have not even utilised their quota of raising questions of public importance or pertaining to people’s grievances.
In the House of 89 (87 elected MLAs plus two nominated women MLAs), 61 MLAs are entitled to raise questions as 24 members of the Assembly were Ministers including the Chief Minister, two of them were Presiding Officers (Speaker Mubarak Gul and Deputy Speaker Sartaj Madni) and four MLAs enjoyed the status of Ministers—one as Advisor and three others as vice chairpersons of different Boards/Corporations.
Official sources said every MLA was entitled to submit 20 written questions—10 each in starred and un-starred categories, which would have taken total questions to 1220 (if each MLA would have utilised his quota).
However, sources said, the Legislative Assembly has received only 977 questions including 538 in starred and 439 in un-starred categories.
Speaker Mubarak Gul has disallowed 46 questions.
The MLAs could have raised 243 questions more and taken the Government to task from their queries, sources said.
There were 25 Ministers in the State including the Chief Minister. While one of the Ministers—Planning and Development Ajay Sadhotra in a member of Upper House, Congress MLA from Rajouri—Shabir Khan had resigned yesterday. Though the number of Ministers now has been reduced to 24, 23 of them were MLAs and one MLC.
Worst is the condition when it comes to submission of private member’s bills.
Sources said the Legislative Assembly has received only 15 private member’s bills as against the entitlement of 305. Every MLA was entitled to submit five private member’s bills.
The Speaker has disallowed three private member’s bills.
The MLAs have submitted 80 private member’s resolutions. Since every MLA was entitled to submit four resolutions each, they could have submitted 244 resolutions but they fell short by 164.
Sources said there were 11 private member’s bills, which were pending in the Assembly, eight bills were pending at the state of consideration and passing while one Government bill was also pending since the previous session. Two bills were pending before the Selection Committee and one before the Joint Select Committee.
Meanwhile, in a bid to ensure smooth functioning of the House, the Speaker has called a meeting of all leaders of Legislature Parties and chief whips having representation in the Assembly tomorrow morning. The meeting will be held in the office chamber of the Speaker at 11 am.
Sources said Mr Gul would like to ensure smooth functioning of last budget session of the present coalition Government, which is in last year of its six years mandate.
The Speaker has called leaders of Legislature parties and chief whips of all political parties and some Independent MLAs to seek their cooperation in smooth running of the House, which was expected to be stormy keeping in view the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, which would be followed by the Assembly elections later this year.
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