Speaker forms 9-member business advisory committee in J&K Assembly

Jammu, Mar 12 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather on Wednesday formed a business advisory committee after some BJP MLAs locked horns with the ruling National Conference members over the issue.

Rather would head the nine-member committee, comprising members from both treasury and opposition benches, an official spokesman said.

Pursuant to Rule 317 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in J-K Assembly, the speaker nominated Leader of Opposition Sunil Kumar Sharma (BJP) and legislators Ali Mohammad Sagar and Mubarik Gul (NC), Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami (CPI-M), Gulam Ahmad Mir (Congress), Sajad Gani Lone (Peoples Conference), Mir Mohammad Fayaz (PDP) and Choudhary Mohammad Akram (Independent) as members of the committee, he said.

Earlier during the day, Rather informed the House that a business advisory committee would be formed by Thursday.

BJP’s Sham Lal Sharma raised the issue of non-formation of the business advisory committee while advocating the provision for continuing the session in the second half to accommodate more members, especially the first-timers, to speak on the demands for grants in the House.

Sharma also questioned the functioning of the House without the formation of the business advisory committee and threatened to stage a walkout.

This led to a verbal duel between him and education minister Sakeena Itoo, with other members from both sides joining the chorus.

National Conference (NC) member Mubarak Gul, who was in the Chair in the absence of Rather, managed to calm down the situation and persuaded Sharma to sit back, saying the House would be informed about the rules shortly.

He extended the session by half-an-hour after consulting the House, as some members from the treasury benches, including minister Itoo and Javed Ahmad Dar, opposed extending the day’s business to the second half citing many members observing Ramzan fast.

Returned to his Chair, Rather said the Assembly secretariat issued a provisional calendar before the commencement of the session, and there was no need for setting up the business advisory committee to run the House.

“The provisional calendar was prepared in consultation with the leader of the House before the session, as per the rules. The business advisory committee is formed when the House is faced with some big issue,” he said.

Rather also said some members have expressed concern and he finds no problem in setting up the business advisory committee to take the suggestions of the members into account for the smooth functioning of the House.

“Business advisory committees have been formed in the past, and so it should be formed again,” he said.