Srinagar, Sep 20 : With the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly set to begin its autumn session on Monday, Congress J&K president Tariq Hameed Karra on Sunday said the issue of extending the session was discussed with Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, who told the participants that he would consider it.
Karra was speaking after a meeting with National Conference leaders, independents and CPI(M) at the Banquet Hall in Srinagar to work out floor management for the session.
“There was also a discussion to extend it. We have already told the Speaker that there are a lot of issues. There is less time,” Karra said.
“There are 90 constituencies. Whether it is a ruling alliance or an opposition, everyone has issues and genuine issues in their constituencies,” he said.
Karra said the actual working time available during the session was seven days and argued that it would not be enough to take up the issues raised by legislators.
“So for the redressal of genuine issues, the actual working time is 7 days. It is insufficient to extend it for 7 days. So the Speaker said that he will think about it,” he said.
The Assembly session is scheduled from September 21 to 30, with seven sitting days after accounting for holidays and an off day. The provisional calendar provides for government business on September 21 and 22, private members’ Bills on September 24 and 28, private members’ resolutions on September 25, and government business on September 29 and 30.
Asked about the purpose of the meeting, Karra said it was focused on coordinating the floor strategy among the legislators.
“This is a floor management meeting. I have told you before. Floor management is a joint strategy to handle and deal with issues,” he said.
“There were independents, CPIM, we were also there. So we had to devise a method on how to do floor management. There were a lot of issues,” Karra said.
He declined to disclose the details of the strategy discussed at the meeting.
“There was a discussion about it. It is not something that can be shared with the press,” he added.(KNS)
Speaker to consider extending Assembly session: Tariq Karra
"Floor-management meeting discussed limited sitting days, issues pending across 90 constituencies"
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