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| Delimitation, 7 other Bills fall in Assembly | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, March 6: Even as the government made seven private members’ bills to fall, the state legislative assembly on Friday rejected the bill to increase the number of seats through a fresh delimitation.
The constitutional amendment bill which was introduced by the Jammu and Kashmir Panthers Party (JKPP) legislator, Harsh Dev Singh, in the assembly on Friday was rejected by a voice vote.
Earlier speaking in favour of the bill, Harsh Dev said that the bill needs to be cleared by the assembly in view of the widespread demand for constitution of delimitation commission to re-draw the boundaries of assembly constituencies.
He sought an increase in the number of assembly seats from 111 to 140. He said that the bill was necessary in the wake of sentiments of regional discrimination.
Out of the 140 seats to be raised, Harsh Dev sought an equal representation for both the regions of Jammu and Kashmir. Out of the seats, he said that Jammu and Kashmir should each get 52 seats while Ladakh should get six seats and also demanded the increase in the seats for PoK refugees from 25 to 30.
From the 30 seats reserved for PoK refugees, the bill had asked for filling up the eight seats in the state legislature from amongst the migrants who have settled in Jammu after being displaced in the earlier wars with Pakistan.
The Panthers Party MLA also sought the increase in reservation of seats for women.
The BJP has also been demanding that the number of seats for Jammu be increased giving the reason that the region has more population than that of Kashmir and its geographical areas as well as terrain were such that people’s accessibility was limited to their legislators in view of the broader area for the assembly constituencies.
Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Abdul Rahim Rather, while opposing the bill said that the bill if passed would incur a huge financial burden on the state exchequer.
Panthers Party MLA in his financial memorandum with the bill had estimated that a non-recurring expenditure of Rs 1 crore and an annual expenditure of Rs 10 crore will only be required after creation of fresh assembly seats. Panthers MLA said that if the government was serious about curtailing its expenses, it should dissolve the upper house of state legislature and also restrict the cabinet berths.
However, Rather said that in case the legislation was giving a nod, within the assemblies there will be serious reprisals and it will lead to further escalation of tension with the same assemblies electing more legislators than was presently in vogue. He said that state’s financial position was not good and there was pendenancy of bills in the state treasuries.
Immediately after the discussion a voice vote was carried out through which the bill was defeated. The JKPP MLA’s Harsh Dev Singh, Balwant Singh Mankotia and Yashpal Kundal staged walkout over the issue
Meanwhile, ten private members Bills were introduced in Legislative Assembly today by Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta, Harshdev Singh, M. Y. Tarigami, Jugal Kishore, Mir Saifullah and Mr. Ashok Kumar Khajuria,
The Bills include “The constitution of Jammu and Kashmir (Amendment) Bill, 2009 (L.A. Private Members’ Bill No. 6 of 2009)”, “A Bill to provide social security to unemployed technocrats/professional degree holders, 2009 (L.A. Private Members’ Bill No. 7 of 2009)”, “The Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir (Amendment) Bill, 2009 (L.A Private Members’ Bill No. 8 of 2009)”, “The Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir (Amendment) Bill, 2009 (L.A. Private Members’ Bill No. 2 of 2009)”, “The Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir (Amendment) Bill, 2009 (L.A. Private Members’ Bill No. 3 of 2009)”, “The Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir (Amendment) Bill, 2009 (L.A. Private Members’ Bill No. 4 of 2009)”, “The Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir (Amendment) Bill, 2009 (L.A. Private Members’ Bill No. 5 of 2009)”, “The Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir (Amendment) Bill, 2009 (L.A. Private Members’ Bill No. 10 of 2009)” moved by Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta, Mr. Ashok Khajuria, Harshdev Singh and Mr. Jugal Kishore.
Despite arguments put forth by the Members in favour of their Bills, the Finance Minister, Mr. Abdul Rahim Rather rejected their plea to introduce these Bills, which were later rejected by the House after voice vote.
“A Bill to provide for the establishment of a residential and technical University in the State of Jammu and Kashmir to offer Islamic, scientific, technical and other education as also to usefully utilize the surplus finance of the Jamiat-e-AhliHadith and its associated trusts as Salfia Muslim Educational and Research Trust and Wakf Tanzeem Trust and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. (L.A. Private Members’ Bill No. 9 of 2009)” moved by Mir Saifullah was withdrawn by him after getting assurance by the Minister for Forests, Mian Altaf Ahmad for appropriate action on his suggestions.
“A Bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir State Legislature Members’ Pension Act, 1984 (L.A. Private Members’ Bill No. 1 of 2009)” moved by Mr. M. Y. Tarigami was allowed to be introduced in the House for further discussion.
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