HP Budget session 2023: entire business of the day adjourned to discuss issue of denotification of institutions

The Himachal Pradesh Assembly moving away from the league today suspended entire business listed for the day to discuss the issue of denotification of institutions opened by the former BJP rule in last one year of elections.

The issue before the question hour was raised by the BJP MLA, Sukh Ram Chaudhary demanding ruling under rule 67. He said that total 632 institutions were opened by the previous government but all of them were de-notified with one notification as Sukhvinder Singh Congress government came in the power.

‘Since the government works in continuity they should be made functional by the government. Chaudary said the former Virbhadra Singh Government opened 380 government buildings including 21 Government colleges and after taking power in 2017, Jai Ram Thakur rule allowed 90 per cent of them.

Replying to the move, Parliamentary affairs minister Harshvardhan Chauhan said that  notice by the BJP members under Rule 67 should be exercised with restraint as members must invoke these special instruments for most urgent issues and this was not too important, should be rejected. It is not the first time when institutions were de-notified. He said that the government scrapped the institutions as most of them were opened in the last six months of BJP rule.  Chauhan said that only two colleges were opened during four and half years however rest 23 were notified in the election year. He urged the speaker to not allow the issue under rule 67 as notices were moved by the seven BJP members to discuss the issue.

The Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania giving his ruling on the issue said that after hearing both sides is of the view that this issue should not be raised under Rule 67(2) if the same issue is pending in the court. Since the matter is also pending for hearing before the Himachal Pradesh High court, is of the view that it could not be allowed as per the precedence of the house. He agreed to Congress members that rule 67 should be invoked  in extreme circumstances.

Intervening on the fiasco, Chief Minister Sukhivinder Singh Sukhu stated that BJP members are frequently invoking rule 67 without taking care of its sanctity they are exercising the same for the second day, today. The Chief Minister said that during the very first day of session the issue pertained to the rights of members about their Vidhayak Nidi, the rule was exercised. He said that the move of opposition should be appreciated and notice should be allowed. Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania, conceding to suggestion by the leader of the house, said that he allowed the motion but made it categorically clear that the entire business of the day including question hour to remain suspended. The house was discussing the issue now, while filing this report