Speaker N. Sakthan has convened a meeting of leaders of all parties having representation in the State Assembly on Wednesday, ahead of the crucial budget-monsoon session, the 14th of the current house.
The previous Assembly session had ended on a discordant note over the Opposition’s demand for Finance Minister K.M. Mani’s resignation. The Opposition had disrupted the Budget presentation and the subsequent days’ sittings. The meeting assumes special significance in this context.
Demands for grants
According to the Calendar of Sittings, the House will be in session from June 8 till July 30. During this period, it will have to pass the demands for grants for various departments, giving the legislature’s stamp of approval to the budgetary proposals.
With the Aruvikkara by-election campaign under way, it is difficult to predict what is in store for the House during its rather extended session this time. It is not clear whether the Opposition will pick up the threads it was forced to abandon owing to the abrupt end of the previous session. In the meantime, the inquiry in the bar bribery case is likely to enter its final phase. The two rival fronts will certainly have the Aruvikkara by-election in the back of their minds while handling the Assembly sittings.
Mr. Sakthan said discussion and voting for the demands for grants on the budget proposal was a crucial exercise for the Assembly.
The Finance Bill, the Appropriation Bill, the Supplementary demands for grants will all come up for discussion and voting. The House will also consider legislative matters relating to the regularisation of several ordinances promulgated when it was not in session. The onus is on the Speaker to facilitate a smooth session for the passage of the Finance Bill and other legislations.
It is also significant that the Speaker has convened a meeting outside the purview of the State Legislature. Usually, the business advisory committee of the House meets and finalises the finer details of the conduct of the session. The late Speaker G. Karthikeyan started the practice of holding meeting of all party leaders prior to the start of a particular session. The practice has apparently come in handy for Mr. Sakthan to set the ball of conciliation rolling.
