Cong's claim of violating Constitution refuted
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 24 2024: Law and Legislative Affairs Minister Thounaojam Basantakumar has refuted the Congress's claim that the State Government has violated the provision of the Constitution by not summoning the Assembly thrice a year.

Addressing the media in this regard at DIPR office at Nityaipat Chuthek today, the Minister said that the allegations raised by the Congress party against the Government on not summoning the Assembly on November 21 was to take political mileage.

Reading out the protocol for summoning an Assembly from the Constitution in front of the media, Basanta Kumar said that an Assembly should be summoned at least two times in a year as per Article 174 .

Saying that the State Assembly has already been summoned twice this year, Basanta Kumar said that there is no question of the State Government violating the Constitutional provision as claimed by the Congress.

He also said that Article 174 of the Constitution overrides the rule 17(A) of the Rule of Procedure and Conduct of Business of Manipur Legislative Assembly which states that the Assembly should be summoned three times in a year viz Budget, Autumn and Winter session.

Saying that the Indian Constitution is the overall authority in the country under which the Parliament and the Assembly function, the Minister added that the allegation raised by the Congress was unfounded.

He also said that the Assembly was summoned only two times during the 15 years tenure of the Congress Government in 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2016 .

Saying that the BJP led Government summoned all three sessions of the Assembly in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, he added that the State Government, however, could not fulfil the condition of Rule of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Assembly since 2021 due to the Covid pandemic and the ongoing crisis.

Despite these challenges, the Government has been summoning the Assembly once every six month as mandated by Article 174 of the Constitution, he said.

There is no provision in the Constitution which states that the Assembly should be summoned three times each year, the Minister added.

Advising the Congress party to at least study the provisions of the Constitution or consult a legal expert first before raising allegations against the Government, the Minister said that the Government will try to convene the Assembly three times in a year if required.

He also said that he will consult with the Law Department to see if the Rule 17 (A) of Rule of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Manipur Legislative Assembly can be amended to correspond to Article 174 of the Constitution.

Comment