leaders of political parties and their whips in the Jharkhand Assembly on Friday raised demand for a calendar of events of the Assembly so as to have a clear picture of the business of the House and also to prepare for participation in the proceedings accordingly.
The demand was raised during an all India conference of whips of all political parties organised at Ranchi on Friday to discuss initiatives needed to be taken with regard to the participation of whips in the proceedings of Jharkhand Assembly and making them part of various processes usually undertaken by committees of the Assembly. Bestowing whips with Constitutional powers and framing schedules for Assembly sessions were discussed in the conference.
The conference was inaugurated by Chief Minister Raghubar Das who subsequently expressed the ideals to which member of the Assembly and whips should adhere to for the success of parliamentary system of governance. He also reminded members of the legislative Assembly about their ‘lakshman rekha’.
“Each day of Assembly session should be used to maximum for the benefit of the people. As people’s representative it is our duty to keep people’s aspirations, expectations and emotions before and take part in discussions in the Assembly,” Das said, adding that allowing others to speak and listening other’s views are part of the parliamentary tradition.
Das raised the issues of absenteeism in the Assembly especially in the post-lunch session besides the practice of giving a miss to the meeting of various committees.
The conference claimed to be first of its kind also for the first time unanimously expressed that a calendar of sessions must be released to provide whips and legislators insight into the Assembly’s upcoming businesses. Speaker Dinesh Oraon emphasised on strengthening hands of whips for being facilitators of dialogue between the State Government and a political party. Oraon pointed at the less number of days in the Assembly where important decisions are passed after deliberation.
“I believe that whips should be given more responsibility and must be bestowed with additional powers,” maintained Oraon adding “it is sad that Assembly could meet for not more than 34 days in so many years. I believe that there should a minimum of 45 working days for Assembly”.
Meanwhile, leader of the Opposition Hemant Soren lambasted at the prevailing practice of calling a session for Assembly and sought more transparency in preparing schedules of the proceedings. Soren questioned the rationale for convening a meeting of whips on an open platform instead of organising such a meet in the Assembly and went on to the extent of describing the platform as weakening the institutions parliamentary democracy.
“The legislative has become weak which often reflects in discussion with the legislators. Government gives answer to the questions of a handful of legislators whereas a large number of legislators are deprived of answer… sessions are organised for legislators hence they must be taken onboard while taking a call on convening Assembly session,” asserted Soren.
Earlier while sharing experiences and recommendations of All-India Government Whips Conference, MlA Radha Krishna Kishore advocated more business days for the Assembly and tabled his suggestions for strengthening the brigade of whips in the House in terms of their role in various committees.
“If one study the Jharkhand Assembly then one will find that since inception the Assembly has been in action for not more than 34 days and that too on just two occasions. It otherwise has never crossed 34 days. Members have the opinion that Jharkhand has too many problems and that needs to be discussed. I suggest that the session should be convened for 45 days,” Kishore said.
He added that if Budget Sessions are shortened then meaningful discussions cannot take place on grants asked by many departments. Kishore suggested that at least 5-7 department-related standing committees should be constituted; a committee of whip of all parties bestowed with constitutional powers which can review budgetary and parliamentary works; membership to whip of all parties in the advisory committee of Jharkhand Assembly; at least one meeting between whip of all parties and CM, leader of principal opposition and apprising whip of all political parties with government’s achievements and information about works of departments.