There is uncertainty over the duration of the Maharashtra Assembly’s budget session owing to a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in the State. Though a four-week-long session had been planned, a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee on Thursday mulled reducing it to one week.
Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has written to the State government to conduct the election for the Speaker’s post during the session. The post became vacant when Nana Patole quit as Speaker and took over as the State Congress chief.
A senior minister said, “The election will be held by voice vote on the first day or Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal will conduct proceedings and the election will be held on the session’s last day.”
Contenders for the post include Congress MLAs Sangram Thopte, Suresh Varpudkar and Amin Patel, and Tribal Affairs Minister K.C. Padvi.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Devendra Fadnavis asked why the State government was scared to hold an election to fill the post despite being in majority in the Assembly. The BJP leader said the budget session should be held as planned for four weeks. “The legislature is a place where issues concerned with people are discussed. If Parliament can be held, why can’t we hold an Assembly session here?” Mr. Fadnavis said.
