The autumn session of the state legislature this time around is expected to come up lively with many important issues on the agenda. Both the ruling NC and Congress on the one side and the opposition PDP on the other seem to be poised to meet head-on on several issues on the floor of the house. Nonetheless, there are some tricky issues that both the sides would understandably prefer to silently pass off without much ado. The National Conference resolution on release of prisoners, for example, can make both the sides— ruling parties as well as the opposition, ill at ease, no matter their oft-repeated respective rhetorical fusillades on the subject. The issue of incorporating 73rd and 74th amendments in the J&K Panchayat Raj Act could also prove tricky. While the debate on the issue could leave the National Conference discomfited given its coalition partner’s different view on the subject, the PDP too won’t find it easy to justify its demand in the wake of its acerbic opposition to extension of Central laws to J&K. Nevertheless, the essence of the democratic institutions is that they give ample space to the two sides to make their point. Sadly, over past sometime this space seems to be shrinking to the pandemonium often caused in the house. With uproars in the house becoming common, they consume much of the time of the legislature. Every time there is a forced adjournment in the house, the taxpayers’ money goes down the drain. While it is the responsibility of the council of ministers headed by chief minister to see to it that the questions raised are responded to in most dignified way, the opposition parties need to see to it that no unnecessary hurdle comes in the way of transacting of the legislative business. The council of ministers, which is the real executive authority in the politico-administrative system of the state, is collectively responsible to the legislative assembly. And, they should not forget that they “own responsibility to the legislative assembly for all their acts of omission and commission.”

Lastupdate on : Tue, 2 Oct 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 2 Oct 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 3 Oct 2012 00:00:00 IST