Et Report
Jammu, Feb 24 : Choudhary Sukhnandan Kumar's protest in the State Legislative Assembly on Monday against not extending him the invite for an official function in his own constituency which was presided over by Minister for Planning Ajay Sadhotra was indicative of a grave discrepancy in the State Legislature. The incident has brought to the fore not only the dichotomy within the system, but has once again raised a question mark on the consequence of Upper House in the State Legislature.
Both Sukhnandan and Ajay Sadhotra contested last Assembly elections from Marh constituency. While Sadhotra lost, Sukhnandan emerged victorious as MLA Marh, but Ajay Sadhotra, former provincial president of the National Conference and former Minister, managed to creep into the Council of Ministers through Upper House and was made Cabinet Minister for Planning, despite losing elections from Marh. Pitch has once again been raised over relevance of Upper house as several noted politicians have been demanding abrogation of Upper House, calling it a rehabilitation home for the failed politicians of the state. "There is need for a rethink on the issue. This is scandalous that ruling parties are using upper house to honour their political commitments to their loyalists at the cost of public exchequer" said Panther MLA Harsh Dev, adding, "We are a pauper state which cannot generate enough resources even to pay salaries to its employees, under such circumstances to maintain a 37 member upper House is inexplicable". "Political parties have thwarted the very spirit of Upper House by electing second string politicians into it rather than giving representation to the people who have excelled in other fields of life" Harsh Dev added further. Haji Yousuf's death had also unlid a can of worms with regards to alleged shady deals in nominations of political workers to the Upper House.
It is however not the first time when a politician has managed to creep into the Council of Minister through the legislative council after losing elections. R S Chib, and Gulchain Singh Charak, both of the Congress party who lost from Suchetgarh and Bishnah respectively managed to become ministers in the recent past, arguably against the spirit of democracy.J&K in the meanwhile is one among only six states which have continued to maintain Upper houses in the legislature while 22 have abrogated them realizing their futility and burden on the state exchequer.
Bihar, UP, Maharashtra, Karnataka and undivided state of Andhra Pradesh are the only other states besides J&K which have Upper Houses in their Legislatures. |
