Speaker nominates panel to frame Business Rules for J&K LA

Jammu, Dec 24: Speaker J&K Legislative Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather Tuesday announced a nine-member panel to draft rules of procedure for conducting business in the House (Legislative Assembly).

The committee will have eight MLAs, nominated as members while the Speaker, himself, will be its ex-officio chairman.

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

The panel will have three NC MLAs, two BJP MLAs and one MLA each from Congress and CPI-M besides an independent, who is also part of the ruling coalition. Chairperson too belongs to NC.

People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Conference and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) have no representative in the committee.

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

“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, I Advocate Abdul Rahim Rather, Speaker, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, do hereby nominate these Members of the Legislative Assembly to serve on the Rules Committee of which I shall be the Ex-officio Chairman,” Speaker A R Rather notified.

“Being nominated to the prestigious Rules Committee of the J&K Legislative Assembly beholds a commitment to uphold the sanctity of parliamentary procedures, ensure transparency and strengthen the democratic framework. I endeavour to work with integrity, wisdom and a vision to make the legislative process more inclusive and impactful for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” BJP MLA, R S Pathania, who is among 8 nominated members to the panel, told Greater Kashmir.

“Together, we will strive for governance that resonates with the ideals of justice, equity, and accountability,” Pathania said, while his reaction was elicited on the constitution of the panel.

Notably, the Legislative Assembly 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).

Speaker J&K Legislative Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather too had stated it, while presiding over the proceedings, quoting a provision in the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 enabling House (Assembly) to run as per the rules of erstwhile J&K till the framing of new rules.