Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 16: The twelfth Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir will come into force with MLAs taking oath in the House tomorrow. They will also be entitled to their all rights and privileges with effect from the day they take the oath from Pro-tem Speaker Mohammad Shafi Uri. Six years tenure of the 12th Legislative Assembly will be counted from the day the MLAs take oath in the Assembly on March 17 i.e. if the Government lasts full six years term, the next Government had to be formed before March 18, 2021.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the 12th Legislative Assembly of the State, which was constituted on January 1, 2015 by the Election Commission of India after declaration of Assembly election results on December 23, 2014, will formally start its term of six years from tomorrow i.e. March 17, the day when the MLAs will take oath.
“Constitutionally term of the Assembly, which is six years in case of Jammu and Kashmir and five years in rest of the States, is taken into account from the day the MLAs take oath in the Assembly,’’ Legislative Assembly Secretary, Mohammad Ramzan said.
First sitting of the newly constituted Assembly was delayed as the Assembly had to be kept under suspended animation by the Governor on January 8 following refusal of Omar Abdullah to continue as the caretaker Chief Minister leading to imposition of Governor’s rule in the State. The Assembly was restored on March 1 after PDP-BJP Government led by Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was sworn-in.
Sources said 88 MLAs including all 25 Ministers (the Chief Minister included) would take oath tomorrow. Pro-tem Speaker Mohammad Shafi Uri, who was sworn-in by the Governor on March 13, will administer oath and affirmation to MLAs. Uri himself had taken oath as the MLA from the Governor. Therefore, rest of 88 MLAs will take oath tomorrow. They included 86 elected MLAs and two nominated women MLAs.
The Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir has effective strength of 87. Two additional seats are reserved for women MLAs, who are nominated by the Governor on recommendations of the Government.
According to sources, all 25 Ministers (17 of Cabinet rank and eight Ministers of State) including Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed will have to take separate oath and affirmation as MLAs in the Assembly from the Pro-tem Speaker.
Sources said tomorrow’s full day has been reserved for oath of 88 MLAs. Election of the Speaker will be held at 10 am on March 18. BJP first time MLA from Gandhi Nagar Kavinder Gupta will be unanimously elected as the Speaker. Thereafter, Governor NN Vohra will address joint session of the Legislature at 11.30 am in Central Hall of Legislature.
The PDP-BJP were required to five notice of Kavinder Gupta’s election as the Speaker by 12 noon tomorrow.
Meanwhile, with oath of the MLAs tomorrow, all the MLAs will be entitled to their rights and privileges. The MLAs are entitled to handsome Rs 80,000 per month perks and Rs 1.5 crores Constituency Development Fund annually.
Sources said the MLAs will get their perks with effect from January 1, 2015, the day the Legislative Assembly was constituted. The wages will, however, be paid once the MLAs take oath.
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