Speaker convenes Committee meeting on February 4
*All references to the J&K Constitution, Legislative Council, and Joint Select Committee have been removed
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 30: The Legislative Assembly is set to review draft rules prepared for the House, which have been distributed to all eight members of the Rules Committee. The Committee, chaired by Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, will meet on February 4 to consider these rules following consensus among the majority of its members.
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The Assembly Secretariat, under the guidance of the Speaker, has spent over 20 days drafting these rules, which have now been circulated for member review ahead of the February meeting. According to a copy obtained by the Excelsior, the rules address all legislative issues pertinent to the Union Territory.
The Rules Committee, led by Rather, includes notable figures such as Mubarak Gul (former Speaker), Saifullah Mir (former Law Minister), Hasnain Masoodi (ex-MP and retired High Court Judge), and representatives from various political parties. With the exception of two BJP members, all others align with the National Conference coalition.
Significantly, the draft rules omit all references to the Jammu and Kashmir Constitution, the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the Legislative Council, and the Joint Select Committee, as the former state constitution no longer exists and the Legislative Council has been dissolved.
The rules detail the procedures for Question Hour, government business including bills, private member’s bills, and other important matters like Call Attention Notices. They outline the timing for discussions surrounding the Motion of Thanks following the Lieutenant Governor’s address and the subsequent budget presentation.
As previously reported by the Excelsior, MLAs are restricted from asking questions related to the Home Department, law and order, Jammu and Kashmir, and All India Services, as these fall under the jurisdiction of the Union Home Ministry and the Lieutenant Governor. Furthermore, only those bills and resolutions approved by the Lieutenant Governor can be introduced.
Sources indicate that if a consensus is reached in the February 4 meeting, the draft rules will be officially adopted and sent for the Lieutenant Governor’s approval. Should the LG consent, the upcoming budget session of the Legislature, beginning March 3, will proceed under these new rules. However, a more comprehensive set of rules may be established later by the Legislative Assembly if necessary.
Under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act of 2019, the Legislative Assembly can operate according to existing rules from when J&K was a state until new rules are formulated. The first session of the J&K UT Legislature, held from November 4 to 8, adhered to these existing rules.
The budget session is scheduled to start on March 3, as highlighted by the Excelsior, and is expected to last for three weeks. On opening day, LG Manoj Sinha will address the Legislature, and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also oversees the Finance Department, will present the first budget for Jammu and Kashmir as a Union Territory.
The establishment of the new Business Rules for the Assembly was necessitated by the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370, leading to its division into two Union Territories: J&K and Ladakh. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, passed on August 5, 2019, permits the Assembly to operate based on existing rules until new Business Rules are fashioned.
LA requests questions, bills, and resolutions from MLAs
The Legislative Assembly Secretariat has called for submissions of 10 questions, categorized into starred and un-starred formats, as well as three private member’s bills from the MLAs in preparation for the budget session starting March 3. The deadline for submitting these inquiries and bills is February 10, with four private member’s resolutions due by February 16.
Speaker convenes Committee meeting on February 4
*All references to the J&K Constitution, Legislative Council, and Joint Select Committee have been removed
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 30: The Legislative Assembly is set to review draft rules prepared for the House, which have been distributed to all eight members of the Rules Committee. The Committee, chaired by Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, will meet on February 4 to consider these rules following consensus among the majority of its members.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
The Assembly Secretariat, under the guidance of the Speaker, has spent over 20 days drafting these rules, which have now been circulated for member review ahead of the February meeting. According to a copy obtained by the Excelsior, the rules address all legislative issues pertinent to the Union Territory.
The Rules Committee, led by Rather, includes notable figures such as Mubarak Gul (former Speaker), Saifullah Mir (former Law Minister), Hasnain Masoodi (ex-MP and retired High Court Judge), and representatives from various political parties. With the exception of two BJP members, all others align with the National Conference coalition.
Significantly, the draft rules omit all references to the Jammu and Kashmir Constitution, the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the Legislative Council, and the Joint Select Committee, as the former state constitution no longer exists and the Legislative Council has been dissolved.
The rules detail the procedures for Question Hour, government business including bills, private member’s bills, and other important matters like Call Attention Notices. They outline the timing for discussions surrounding the Motion of Thanks following the Lieutenant Governor’s address and the subsequent budget presentation.
As previously reported by the Excelsior, MLAs are restricted from asking questions related to the Home Department, law and order, Jammu and Kashmir, and All India Services, as these fall under the jurisdiction of the Union Home Ministry and the Lieutenant Governor. Furthermore, only those bills and resolutions approved by the Lieutenant Governor can be introduced.
Sources indicate that if a consensus is reached in the February 4 meeting, the draft rules will be officially adopted and sent for the Lieutenant Governor’s approval. Should the LG consent, the upcoming budget session of the Legislature, beginning March 3, will proceed under these new rules. However, a more comprehensive set of rules may be established later by the Legislative Assembly if necessary.
Under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act of 2019, the Legislative Assembly can operate according to existing rules from when J&K was a state until new rules are formulated. The first session of the J&K UT Legislature, held from November 4 to 8, adhered to these existing rules.
The budget session is scheduled to start on March 3, as highlighted by the Excelsior, and is expected to last for three weeks. On opening day, LG Manoj Sinha will address the Legislature, and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also oversees the Finance Department, will present the first budget for Jammu and Kashmir as a Union Territory.
The establishment of the new Business Rules for the Assembly was necessitated by the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370, leading to its division into two Union Territories: J&K and Ladakh. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, passed on August 5, 2019, permits the Assembly to operate based on existing rules until new Business Rules are fashioned.
LA requests questions, bills, and resolutions from MLAs
The Legislative Assembly Secretariat has called for submissions of 10 questions, categorized into starred and un-starred formats, as well as three private member’s bills from the MLAs in preparation for the budget session starting March 3. The deadline for submitting these inquiries and bills is February 10, with four private member’s resolutions due by February 16.
