Speaker’s show-cause notice to Hooda over parallel session

Chandigarh: Haryana speaker Harvinder Kalyan has issued a show-cause notice to opposition leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday after Congress lawmakers staged a "parallel session" in the assembly's parking lot on Monday.The speaker gave Hooda 10 days to justify the unofficial gathering, which the secretariat claims violated parliamentary decorum. Kalyan also demanded a report from chief secretary Anurag Rastogi regarding the incident which occurred during a special assembly session convened to discuss the Nari Vandan resolution and public service promotion policies.After boycotting the official proceedings as "unconstitutional", Hooda and his colleagues held their own assembly in the parking area to protest the govt's legislative agenda. The speaker's notice challenges Hooda specifically to explain his claims of "unconstitutionality", noting that the session's business was finalised in an earlier Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting that Congress leadership had attended."I expect the leader of the opposition to clarify how a parallel session was called without secretariat's permission," Kalyan said, emphasising the need to protect "democratic decorum and parliamentary traditions".Reached for comment while travelling, Hooda claimed he had not yet reviewed the formal communication. "I shall respond after going through the notice," he said.The escalating friction follows the govt's push for the Nari Vandan amendment and new bills regarding Group D employee promotions. While the party in office maintains the special session followed all legal protocols, the opposition argues the move bypassed established legislative norms.The secretariat's rare disciplinary move against the LoP signals a hardening stance on assembly protocol. Failure to provide a satisfactory response could lead to further administrative action against the boycotting lawmakers. MSID:: 130583550 413 |