Budget session ends on discordant note

Jammu, Apr 9: Maiden Budget session of J&K in Union Territory set up Wednesday concluded at a discordant note as the Speaker Legislative Assembly A R Rather adjourned the House sine die amid the protests by both the opposition and treasury benches seeking discussions on separate issues.

Disorder continued to be the order for the third straight day, which was the last day of the Budget session as per calendar. Session commenced on March 3, 2025.

Though the government business was already completed before the House went for recess on March 25 yet the business pertaining to private members listed for post-recess period could not be transacted due to pandemonium.

Today was the third day when no business could be transacted in the House, amid uproarious scenes forcing adjournment within the 12 minutes of commencement of proceedings for the day.

While for the past two days, persisting ruckus over Waqf Amendment Act, 2025 forced multiple adjournments of the House and total washout of the proceedings, today there were additional issues of unemployment and daily wagers’ regularisation raked up by the BJP.

In the morning, the Speaker adjourned the House till 1 pm as the pandemonium prevailed right from the word “Go” with both sides accusing each other of resorting to “dramabaazi.”

As soon as the House assembled for the day's proceedings, NC’s Nazir Gurezi and Mubarak Gul rose asking the Speaker to allow discussion on the Waqf Amendment Act. “We too have read the rules. Half an hour discussion can be allowed, just use your discretion,” Gurezi said.

Meanwhile BJP members started protesting that their MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia had moved adjournment motions on unemployment and daily wagers’ regularisation.

Rather said that the BJP member’s resolutions seeking discussion on unemployment and daily wagers, could not be allowed as the issues were not a recent occurrence, triggering protest by them (BJP MLAs).

The Speaker tried to resume Question Hour in the din asking BJP MLA Sunil Bhardwaj to raise his question yet it did not happen because of absolute chaos from both sides.

Accusing BJP of doing politics and resorting to “dramabaazi” on unemployment and daily wagers’ issues, Gurezi stated that the Act was injustice with the Muslims. “They did nothing for them when they were in power during the past 10 years,” he alleged.

Provoked by these accusations, BJP members led by the Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma entered the well amid slogans and few sat on dharna there. They too traded counter-charges of “dramabazi”, raising slogans, “Dramabaazi Band Karo.”

As both sides continued to protest, the House was adjourned till 1 pm.

After adjournment of the House, BJP members outside the House sat on dharna on stairs leading to the Legislature complex, NC members protested inside the House for a while.

The NC Legislature Party had a meeting to break the stalemate in the morning ahead of session but in vain.

As the House reassembled, after first adjournment, at 1.10 pm, Speaker Rather, referring to chaos prevailing in the House for the past three days, reiterated that he disallowed the adjournment motions seeking discussion on Waqf Amendment Act as the rules did not permit him.

He said that the majority in the House wanted to share their concern over the Act but he was bound by his role as the Custodian of the House, who had to strictly go by rule book.

He yet again quoted sub rules 7 and 9 of Rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the House to defend his decision.

AAP MLA Mehraj Malik tried to raise point of order yet was not allowed.

The Speaker informed the House that during the session, 1355 questions were received; 154 main questions were taken up while 353 supplementaries were answered. He also informed that 1738 Cut Motions were also received and 1731 were taken up for the discussions.

“Three Government Bills were received and subsequently passed by the house. 33 Private Members Bills were also received and listed for the business. 78 Calling Attention Motions were received by the Assembly Secretariat, out of which 23 were listed for the business and 34 were disallowed,” he said, while profusely appreciating the Members of the House for actively and enthusiastically participating in the proceedings for the majority part of the session.

Rather said that the 21 day Budget session was the second longest in the country during 2025.

He also informed that 109 resolutions were received during the session, out of which 85 were admitted and 14 were listed for business. “More than 39 hours were utilized during the Budget Session,” he said.

NC's Mir Saifullah rose, interrupting Rather, who was sharing an account of business transactions in the House. Saifullah said that he (Speaker) disallowed their adjournment motion interpreting rules with which they were not convinced. Meanwhile, the BJP Members too rose to counter him leading to uproar in the House.

Saifullah was asked by Rather to sit down yet he did not relent.

Then the Speaker started delivering his customary “thanks” address, triggering protests by NC MLAs.

In the persisting uproar, the Speaker adjourned the House sine die.

The Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was not in the House. He arrived half an hour after the adjournment of the House.