CHANDIGARH: The session is expected to be brief as no significant legislative businesses are pending.
Punjab government has started with the preparations for the upcoming Monsoon Session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, scheduled for the last week of August. The session is expected to be brief, lasting only 2-3 days, as the current administration has no significant legislative business pending. There are no bills awaiting discussion, and no major debates are anticipated at this time.
This session will feature a notable shift in the opposition landscape due to recent changes in party affiliations during the Lok Sabha elections. Raj Kumar Chhabewal, formerly with the Congress, has joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and won the Lok Sabha seat from Chhabewal constituency with 47,375 votes. Similarly, Amrinder Singh Raja Warring has secured a Lok Sabha seat representing Ludhiana. Consequently, only a few opposition figures will remain in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.
The previous budget session of the Punjab Assembly descended into chaos, marked by heated exchanges between chief minister Bhagwant Mann and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Pratap Singh Bajwa. During the session, Mann warned the Speaker that he would speak the truth, leading to a confrontation with opposition members. Mann even suggested locking the gates of the Assembly from the inside to prevent opposition members from leaving, which triggered significant uproar.
Congress has alleged that the conflict between Mann and Bajwa erupted after Mann allegedly humiliated a Dalit MLA by suggesting he was having a ‘seizure’. The budget session, which began with governor Banwarilal Purohit’s address, was disrupted by Congress MLAs who refused to let the governor read his speech, leading to its abrupt conclusion within 13 minutes. The session was further marred by significant disruptions related to the farmers’ protest issue.
Mann criticised the Congress MLA for disrupting the governor’s address, asserting that the Speaker, as the custodian of the House, should manage speaking times and that the governor’s and president’s speeches should not be interrupted. Bajwa responded by questioning the conduct of the House and democracy itself, to which Mann retorted, urging Bajwa to “mind your language” and challenging him to remain seated without leaving, stating that the doors would be locked from the inside to prevent the opposition from exiting.
Amidst these developments, the Punjab government is preparing to conclude the budget session proceedings from the last session. The file for the budget session’s closure has been prepared and sent to Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria. The adjournment of the budget session is expected to be completed in the coming 1-2 days.
From Monday, legislators will be able to submit their questions for the upcoming session. According to Punjab Vidhan Sabha rules, the Assembly must convene three times a year, with no session exceeding a six-month gap. The last session was held on March 12 making it necessary to convene the next session before September 11.
The upcoming session will provide an opportunity for newly elected opposition members to present their positions and engage with the government, despite the reduced number of opposition figures in the Assembly.