Speaker-led panel to convene its maiden meeting on Jan 1

Jammu, Dec 27: Nine-member Rules Committee, led by the Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, constituted to draft rules of procedure for conducting business in the Legislative Assembly, will hold its maiden meeting on January 1, 2025.

“Meeting of the Rules Committee will be held under the chairmanship of the Speaker in his office chambers at Legislative complex, Jammu on January 1, 2025 at 11 am,” official sources said.

“All eight members of the committee have been requested to attend the meeting on the scheduled date, time and place,” they added.

On December 24, 2024, the Speaker J&K Legislative Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather had announced this nine-member panel of which he (Speaker), himself, would be the ex-officio chairman.

The panel was constituted by the Speaker, in exercise of the powers conferred by Rule 363 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.

It (panel) has been asked to finalise the draft Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, prior to the commencement of the ensuing Budget session.

Eight MLAs nominated for the panel included former Speaker Mubarik Gul (NC); Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami (CPI-M); Saifullah Mir (NC); Nizam-ud-Din Bhat (Congress); Pawan Kumar Gupta (BJP), Justice (retired) Hasnain Masoodi (NC), Ranbir Singh Pathania (BJP) and Muzaffar Iqbal Khan, (independent).

Legislative Assembly of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, in its maiden session, which lasted five days from November 4 to 8, 2024 in Srinagar, had conducted its business, as per the rules existing in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, in the absence of new Business Rules, post UT status.

While presiding over the proceedings, Speaker too had mentioned it, quoting provision in J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 enabling House (Assembly) to run as per the rules of erstwhile J&K till the framing of new rules.