SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly’s autumn session, scheduled to begin in Srinagar on September 21, is likely to consider several Private Members’ Bills that remained pending during the Budget Session earlier this year, besides fresh legislative proposals submitted by members.
Sources said the Budget Session had two days allocated for Private Members’ business, but several proposed Bills could not be taken up because of time constraints. Among the pending proposals were Bills seeking measures including prohibition in Jammu and Kashmir.
The question of whether these pending Bills will be given preference over newly submitted Private Members’ Bills is expected to be decided by Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather.
The Assembly Secretariat has so far received more than 300 questions from legislators for the forthcoming session. The deadline for submission of questions and Private Members’ Bills is August 25.
Under the prescribed quota, each eligible MLA can submit four starred and four unstarred questions, along with one Private Members’ Bill. The deadline for submitting two Private Members’ Resolutions per MLA has been fixed for September 5.
Of the 90-member House, 83 MLAs are eligible to submit questions, with the Chief Minister, five Ministers and the Speaker excluded from the quota. If all eligible members submit the maximum permitted number, the Secretariat could receive up to 664 questions.
The detailed programme for the session has not yet been finalised. Sources said the House is likely to have seven to eight sittings over a period of around 10 days.
The Assembly Secretariat is awaiting details of the Government’s legislative and other proposed business before preparing the final calendar.
The Government is also expected to bring legislation concerning issues including Ease of Doing Business and the drug menace, among other matters.
Proposed Government Bills will have to undergo the required procedure, including departmental drafting and Cabinet approval, before being introduced in the Assembly and completing the applicable process involving the Lieutenant Governor.
The Ease of Doing Business Ordinance, which was placed before the Cabinet during its August 4 meeting chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, was deferred after some Ministers sought a detailed presentation from the concerned department.
The autumn session is therefore expected to have a substantial legislative agenda, with both pending Private Members’ Bills and new Government legislation likely to come before the House.
