Dimapur, August 12: Opposition Naga People’s Front (NPF) has decided to boycott the one-day 6th session of the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly on Thursday, which it alleged has been convened for mere fulfillment of constitutional obligation.
In a letter to the NLA Speaker, NPF Legislature Party spokesperson, Imkong L. Imchen stated that despite clear indication from the Governor of Nagaland that the 6th session of the 13th NLA should “be of adequate duration to enable it to deliberate over the pressing issues of Nagaland”, the Speaker had failed to consider the same.
The NPF said the Governor, in response to a letter of the Leader of Opposition, had written to the Chief Minister dated August 3, 2020, a copy of which was also endorsed to the Leader of Opposition and the Speaker, given the clear indication on adequate duration of the NLA session.
Citing the Speaker’s letter to the Governor on August 6, the NPF admitted that the one-day session was declared following the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) on July 20. “But what your authority has failed to mention in the said letter is the fact that the two NPF MLAs namely Dr. Chotisuh Sazo and Sh. Amenba Yaden had requested your authority to have a three-day session while accommodating the proposal of the Opposition party for one day discussion on each of the following issue of public importance viz. Naga political issue, issue related to COVID-19 and SARFAESI Act, 2002. The request was turned down,” it said.
The NPFLP recalled that the opposition leader had written to the Speaker on July 25 extension of the 6th session of the 13th NLA “by a few more days wherein the second day of the session can commence in the month of August as deemed convenient post recess.” However, it stated that the proposition of the Leader of Opposition went unattended, forcing the opposition leader to write to the Governor for extension of business session to 3 days on August 1, 2020.
The NPFLP also noted that as per Rule-58 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in NLA, notice of an Adjournment Motion shall be given at least one hour before the commencement of the sitting and whereas, the NPFLP had served notice for Adjournment Motion two weeks prior to the scheduled date of Assembly session. “It is most unfortunate that the same went unattended,” it said.
Furthermore, the NPFLP claimed that opposition MLAs had filed 29 questions to be answered during the 6th session of the 13th NLA but only 12 questions were accepted by the Assembly Secretariat “while the time duration allotted to the Opposition Bench for discussion on matters related to COVID-19 was a mere 35 minutes which by all standard is insufficient.”
“Your authority is reminded that the dignity of the NLA and its democratic principles have been repeatedly abused on the pretext of implementing COVID-19 measures and in order to protect democratic practices and to maintain the sanctity of the NLA, the Opposition party will boycott the one-day session to be held on August 13, 2020 which has been convened for mere fulfilment of constitutional obligation,” the letter added.
(Page News Service)
