Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 20: Governor NN Vohra today fixed February 28 as the date for holding election for the post of new Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.
The post of the Speaker had fallen vacant on January 15 this year after Mohammad Akbar Lone, who had commanded proceedings of the Assembly for nearly four years, had resigned to join the Council of Ministry where he was inducted as Minister for Higher Education.
“Under Rule 9 of the Rules of Procedures and Conduct of Business in Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Governor NN Vohra has fixed February 28 for holding the election of the Legislative Assembly Speaker”, an official handout said.
February 28 is first day of budget session of the Legislature when the Governor would address joint session of the Legislature followed by separate meetings of the Assembly and the Council.
Official sources said election of the Speaker would be held after the obituary reference.
Since the resignation of Mr Lone as the Speaker, Deputy Speaker Sartaj Madni is discharging duties of the Presiding Officer in the Assembly.
Sources said National Conference-Congress coalition Government would field NC MLA Mubarak Gul for the post of the Speaker. Mr Gul was likely to be elected unanimously to the post of the Speaker as the Opposition might not field any candidate against him.
“In the event of Opposition fielding a candidate against Mr Gul forcing the election, Mr Gul would be elected convincingly going by the majority the Alliance enjoyed in the Legislative Assembly”, sources said.
Mr Gul had on January 15 resigned as Advisor to the Chief Minister in the rank of Cabinet Minister. He had also been serving as chief whip of the National Conference. He had been elected to the Assembly for three consecutive terms in 1996, 2002 and 2008. Prior to that also, he had served both Houses of the Legislature.
Meanwhile, the post of the Deputy Chairman in Legislative Council is also falling vacant with the retirement of National Conference leader Mohammad Yusuf Taing from the Upper House on March 16.
As per the agreement between National Conference and Congress, the National Conference would hold the post of Speaker while the post of Chairman Legislative Council would go the Congress. Amrit Malhotra, veteran Congress leader is Chairman of the Council.
The post of the Deputy Chairman would go to the National Conference. Sources said election for the Deputy Chairman’s post could also be held during budget session of the Legislature. However, the National Conference was yet to decide its nominee for the post of the Deputy Chairperson.
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