Expressing displeasure with the short duration of the upcoming autumn session of the Assembly, the opposition Voice of the People Party (VPP) has demanded extension of the session by a few more days to enable the members to raise many issues of public importance.
The autumn session of the eleventh Meghalaya Legislative Assembly will be held from September 15 to September 22.
In a letter to Assembly Speaker Thomas A. Sangma, VPP parliamentary party secretary, Heaving Stone Kharpran requested for extending the session for a few more days.
According to him, the party in its parliamentary party meeting held on August 31, had a long and threadbare discussion on the issues concerning the State and wished to take up these issues through the motions, resolutions, and questions.
“However, we would like to express our displeasure on the decision of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) to hold the session for five working days only which is too short,” Kharpran said.
As per the calendar decided by the BAC, there will be five working days of which three days have been allotted for government business and two days for private members’ business.
On the first day of the session on September 15, the Speaker will announce the report of the Business Advisory Committee. The State government will lay ordinances, orders, notifications, reports, rules and regulations.
Besides government bills which will also be tabled on the first day of the sessions, the government will also present the Supplementary Demands for Grants and Supplementary Appropriation for 2023-24. There will also be obituary references.
On September 19, private members’ business will be taken up in the form of private member bills, motions and resolutions.
On September 20, the House will vote on Supplementary Demands for Grants.
Again on September 21, private members’ business will be taken up where bills, motions and resolutions will be raised by members.
On the final day on September 22, the House will vote on Supplementary Demands for Grants and pass the Meghalaya Appropriation (No. III) Bill, 2023 and other government bills.
