The Newz Radar Network
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly is gearing up for a tumultuous monsoon session starting on August 27, with political tensions running high as both the ruling party and the opposition prepare for a heated confrontation.
The session, which will continue until September 9, is set to witness intense debates and discussions on a range of critical issues. A significant development this session is the full implementation of the E-Vidhan system, first introduced in the Assembly in 2014.
842 questions submitted by MLAs
For the first time, all 842 questions submitted by MLAs were received online, with no offline submissions. Among these, 601 are starred questions, which will be discussed during the question hour, while 241 unstarred questions will receive written responses.
The session will open at 11 am on August 27 with condolences for late former MLAs Tekchand, Narayan Singh Swami and Daulat Ram Chaudhary. The agenda includes two non-official days where MLAs can raise issues for discussion under Rule 101.
6 Congress MLAs disqualified in last session
The session is particularly notable as it follows a series of political upheavals during the previous budget session, including the expulsion of six rebel Congress MLAs and the resignation of three independent MLAs. Since then, two by-elections have resulted in the election of nine new MLAs, including Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s wife Kamlesh Thakur. The current Assembly now consists of 40 Congress and 28 BJP MLAs, prompting changes in seating arrangements for the monsoon session.
Key issues expected to be raised
Key issues expected to dominate the session include the establishment of a bulk drug park, job creation, and employee grievances regarding dearness allowance and other financial benefits.
“The government is fully prepared for the Assembly session. Despite the challenging financial situation, we are committed to fulfilling our promises and accelerating development. The old pension scheme (OPS) was implemented as our first guarantee and other financial benefits are also being provided,” stated Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
