Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 30: The Legislative Assembly Secretariat today issued calendar for budget session of the Legislature beginning February 28. The 34 days session would have 26 sittings. The session would conclude on April 2.
Out of 26 working days of the budget session, 11 days would have double sittings. As the session was starting late this year in view of repair works in the Assembly complex, Saturdays have also been kept as working days. Last year, the budget session had started on February 22.
Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather would present budget in the Legislative Assembly on March 6.
Deputy Speaker Sartaj Madni approved the calendar today in the absence of the Speaker.
National Conference veteran and former Advisor to Chief Minister Mubarak Gul would be elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly either on first or second working day of the session in place of Mohammad Akbar Lone, who was inducted into the Council of Ministry as Higher Education Minister on January 15. Till election of the new Speaker, the Deputy Speaker would discharge duties of the Speaker.
According to provisional calendar issued by Legislative Assembly Secretary Mohammad Ramzan, Governor NN Vohra would address joint session of the Legislature at Central Hall of Legislature on February 28 at 10.30 am.
Discussion on Motion of Thanks to Governor’s Address would be held on March 1, 2 and 4. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah would reply to the Discussion in second sitting of the House on March 4.
March 5 has been reserved for the Government business.
Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather would present general budget of the State for next financial year of 2013-14 in the Assembly on March 6.
Discussion on the budget would take place on March 7, 8 and 9. Mr Rather would reply to discussion on the budget on March 9.
Demands for grants of various Ministries would start on March 11 with double sittings. The Demands would be taken up on March 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20 and 22. All these days would have double sittings in the Assembly.
The Appropriation bill (the passing of the budget) was scheduled for March 23 while March 25 has been fixed for the Government business.
Private member’s Resolutions would be taken up on March 26 and 30 while March 28 and April 1 have been fixed for private member’s bills.
April 2, the last day of the session, unless extended, has been reserved for the Government business.
The Assembly session will also see election of the new Speaker of the Assembly, which would be second last budget session of present dispensation of National Conference-Congress coalition headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah as the State was scheduled to go for Assembly elections by the end of 2014.
Sources said the election of the Speaker could be held either on February 28 itself when the Assembly meets after the Governor’s Address or March 1. The Government had to give notice for election of the Speaker along with name of its leader for the post. If the Opposition didn’t put up any candidate, the Alliance candidate would be elected as the Speaker unanimously. But if the Opposition decided to contest, the election would be held.
There seemed to be remote possibility of the election. NC has decided to field party veteran leader Mubarak Gul for the post of the Speaker. His election to the prestigious post was certain in view of majority of the Alliance in the Assembly.
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