Leader of the Opposition, Tika Ram Jully.
| Photo Credit: PTI
The budget session of the Rajasthan Assembly started on an acrimonious note here on July 3. The Congress, which is in Opposition, took exception to the absence of the Governor’s customary address on the opening day. Congress MLAs shouted slogans accusing the BJP government of ignoring Constitutional norms.
The Leader of the Opposition, Tika Ram Jully, said starting the session without the Governor’s address violated provisions of Article 176 of the Constitution. He also accused Speaker Vasudev Devnani of turning off his microphone while he was raising the matter.
“Nobody is above the law… No one, including the Speaker and the Law Minister, has the right to challenge the Constitution,” Mr. Jully said, adding that the Governor addresses the Assembly at the beginning of the first session after the election and on the opening day of the first session of each year, as per Article 176.
Not mandatory
The Opposition created a ruckus and trooped into the well of the House, raising slogans against the “unconstitutional act.” The Speaker however ruled that since it was the second session of the year, the Governor’s address was not required.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel accused Mr. Jully of misinterpreting the constitutional provisions and said the Assembly’s budget session was the second session of the year, which meant it was not mandatory for the Governor to address the House.
The Congress Legislature Party later sought an appointment with Governor Kalraj Mishra to apprise him of the Assembly proceedings. Mr. Jully said a delegation would raise the issue of the ruling party’s “conspiracy to crush the Constitution” at the meeting with the Governor.
The State Budget will be presented on July 10, and about a dozen Bills are expected to be tabled in the Assembly during the session. The water and power crisis, unemployment, farmers’ Samman Nidhi, 50% reservation for women in grade-III teachers’ recruitment, and Education Minister Madan Dilawar’s controversial remarks about tribal people will dominate the session.
MLAs take oath
Newly elected Bharat Adivasi Party MLA Jaikrishn Patel, who won the bypoll from Banswara’s Bagidora seat, took his oath in the Assembly. The seat fell vacant after the resignation of former Minister Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya, who left the Congress and joined the BJP in February this year, ahead of the Lok Sabha election. Voting was held during the second phase of Lok Sabha polls on April 26.
The House greeted Om Birla, who is MP from Rajasthan’s Kota-Bundi constituency, for being chosen as Lok Sabha Speaker for the second consecutive term. Mr. Devnani also administered a pledge to MLAs to use jute or cloth bags in place of plastic bags on International Plastic Bag Free Day.
Following obituary remarks on 12 political leaders who died recently and condolences for the victims of the stampede in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras on Tuesday, the House was adjourned until July 4.
