Srinagar, Sep 17: The president of the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference and MLA Handwara, Sajad Gani Lone, on Thursday said that he had given notice for two resolutions ahead of the autumn session of the J&K Assembly. Of the two resolutions, one, related to the recent power tariff hike, has been admitted, while there has been total silence on the other resolution pertaining to the rigging of the 1987 elections.
Terming the alleged 1987 election rigging a “watershed event” in Jammu and Kashmir’s history, Lone said that the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly cannot act like a post office that sends convenient letters but hides the inconvenient ones. “The Assembly cannot behave like a pro-government courier agency. It is the custodian of the rights of all MLAs and of the trust reposed in us by the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
The MLA said the Rules mandate that the Assembly Secretariat must inform MLAs whether their resolutions have been admitted, disallowed, or admitted as amended by the Speaker, as the case may be. He cited Rule 179, which states, “The Secretary shall give intimation to a member that his resolution has been admitted or disallowed or admitted as amended by the Speaker, as the case may be.”
“The Assembly cannot withhold information about resolutions, as the word used in the relevant Rule is ‘SHALL’.”
Lone said that it is legally binding on them to intimate me about the status of the resolution. Denial of information would be a breach of the Rules. I have written to the Assembly Secretariat over the issue,” he said.
