Kangra, December 17 (S Gopal Puri)
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly’s winter session is set to commence on Wednesday (December 18, 2024) at Tapovan in Dharamshala and will continue until December 21.
With four sittings planned, including one private members’ day, the session is expected to witness heated debates, particularly as the opposition BJP skipped an all-party meeting called ahead of the session.
Speaking at a press conference in Dharamshala on Tuesday, Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania shared that the Assembly Secretariat had so far received 248 starred questions and 68 unstarred questions for the session. In addition, five notices under Rule 62, one under Rule 63, five under Rule 101 and three under Rule 130 have been submitted for discussions.
Introduction of regular zero hour
Pathania further announced that zero hour will now be a regular feature of Assembly proceedings. Inspired by practices in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, members can raise public-interest issues during a 30-minute window from 12 noon to 12.30 pm.
Members are required to submit their questions to the Assembly Secretariat 1.5 hours before proceedings begin, with each MLA allowed to raise a maximum of two issues. Each question will be allotted 4–5 minutes, and responses will be sought from the departments concerned.
Live proceedings and e-Vidhan Sabha
The Speaker highlighted Himachal Pradesh Assembly’s distinction as India’s first e-Vidhan Sabha, a model replicated by other state assemblies and the Lok Sabha. Tapovan has also been transformed into an e-Vidhan Sabha. He, however, noted that additional funding would be required to facilitate live telecast of proceedings, with a decision expected soon.
A shadow was cast over the proceedings after the BJP legislators, including Leader of the Opposition Jai ram Thakur, skipped the all-party meeting. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Singh Chauhan expressed disappointment, stating this was the second consecutive time the BJP had abstained. He emphasised that such meetings are critical for ensuring smooth functioning of the Assembly.
With issues like illegal mining, forest felling, and other governance concerns already in the spotlight, political analysts predict stormy exchanges between the ruling Congress and opposition BJP during the four-day session.
