AAP MLA demands round-the-year assembly sittings

CHANDIGARH : Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Kanwar Sandhu has suggested round-the-year sessions of the Punjab assembly for a more “responsive functioning” of the state government.

In a letter to assembly speaker Rana KP Singh on Saturday, the Kharar MLA suggested 12 sessions in a year — one session every month with five sittings. He suggested amending Rule 14-A of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business Rules, which provide for three sessions in a year and the total number of sittings in all the three sessions put together to be not less than 40.

“This rule, which is being violated with impunity, be amended to provide for 12 sessions in a financial year,” he wrote. A copy of the letter has been marked to parliamentary affairs minister Brahm Mohindra.

The AAP leader said monthly sessions of the assembly will ensure that the whole state government machinery remains on toes and there is regular accountability of not only legislators but also of the government officers.

“This will also ensure that the peoples’ problems reflected by their MLAS during question hour get answered on a regular basis.

“Now since the House meets after three or four months, the questions pile up, between 500 to 1,000 for every session, and less than 20 per cent are taken up during a session,” he said.

Holding a session every month would bring about a responsive government, he claimed.

The letter states that House sittings every month would also raise the level of debate, with MLAS being forced to take up issues of their constituencies.

Sandhu said in order to bring about greater transparency in legislative and administrative functioning, all meetings of various committees of the Vidhan Sabha should be open to the media.

Referring to the increasing tendency by the opposition MLAS to resort to frequent walkouts, shouting and crosstalk “in order to grab media headlines”, Sandhu has suggested that rules be amended to prescribe that if MLAS walk out, sit in the well of the House on a particular day or defy the chair frequently, they be marked absent for that day.

The Kharar MLA has demanded that these suggestions may be put up for discussion in the House during the current budget session, which ends on March 28, in wider public interest.

SAD SEEKS DISMISSAL OF SIDHU, MANPREET FROM PUNJAB ASSEMBLY

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has sought the dismissal of ministers Manpreet Singh Badal and Navjot Singh Sidhu from the state assembly.

The former deputy CM said presenting a part of the budget is the biggest violation of oath.

“Navjot Singh Sidhu presented a part of the budget, before the budget. This is the biggest violation of oath by Manpreet Singh Badal and Navjot Singh Sidhu. Both of them should be dismissed as well as there should be a criminal case against them,” Sukhbir told ANI.

On Saturday, Manpreet Badal presented the state budget for the financial year 2018-19 at the Assembly.

This budget promises free Wi-fi in 48 government schools by July along with the promotion of Punjabi language.