Hindustan Times (Patiala)

Guv makes six-minute appearance for a 120-second address in House

In the previous assembly session, held in November 2019, governor Satyadeo Narain Arya had read only half a page of the preface and the concluding paragraph of the 12-page speech

- HT Correspond­ent letterschd@hindustant­imes.com ■

CHANDIGARH: Arriving 36 minutes behind schedule, Haryana governor Satyadeo Narain Arya on Monday addressed the state assembly for barely two minutes, informing the House that the special assembly session has been convened for ratifying the Constituti­on Amendment Bill passed by both Houses of the Parliament to continue reservatio­n in assembly and Lok Sabha seats for the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes for another 10 years.

The prepared text of the address, highlighti­ng the achievemen­ts and plans of the state government, a routine thing for the governor’s address was not tabled in the assembly.

“The governor merely fulfilled his constituti­onal obligation of addressing the House as per Article 175 of the Constituti­on,’’ said an assembly official.

THE PREPARED TEXT HIGHLIGHTI­NG THE ACHIEVEMEN­TS AND PLANS OF STATE GOVT, A ROUTINE FOR GUV’S ADDRESS WAS NOT TABLED

ARRIVED LATE

Arya arrived in the House at 11.36 am, started his speech at 11.38 am and finished at 11.40 am. He spent a mere six minutes in the House.

In the first assembly session of the new government in November 2019, the governor had read half a page of the preface and the concluding paragraph of the 12-page speech.

He had then told the newly constitute­d House that since every member has been provided a copy of the address, the content in pages 2 to 12 shall be taken as read.

“The text about government’s achievemen­ts and plans was prepared but it was decided to drop it since a near similar document was tabled in the November session also,’’ said an official.

Arya on Monday greeted the people of Haryana for a happy and prosperous new year before concluding his speech: “I will address the House during the upcoming budget session.”

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Opposition leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and (left) speaker Gian Chand Gupta and governor Satyadeo Narain Arya at the assembly in Chandigarh on Monday.
KESHAV SINGH/HT ■ Opposition leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and (left) speaker Gian Chand Gupta and governor Satyadeo Narain Arya at the assembly in Chandigarh on Monday.
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