10-day J&K assembly session begins tomorrow: Oppn to corner NC govt over power tariffs, unemployment

Ahead of the session, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather held a meeting with leaders of various political parties and sought their assurance for the smooth running of the House

With the Jammu and Kashmir assembly’s 10-day autumn session set to begin on Monday, a fierce showdown is on the cards as a combative Opposition gears up to corner the ruling National Conference (NC) and demand accountability.

The Congress, which is an ally of the NC, will also try to train its guns on the ruling party. (HT File)

Ahead of the session, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather held a meeting with leaders of various political parties and sought their assurance for the smooth running of the House. Opposition parties have already dropped hints that they will seek full accountability from the treasury benches on various issues.

In fact, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Sunil Sharma has been meeting delegations and civil society groups in different parts of Kashmir to understand the problems faced by them and promised to raise those issues in the House. “We will be raising issues of people in the assembly. We have been demanding a longer session so problems of people could be addressed,” Sharma said after meeting various delegations in Baramulla on Thursday. Sharma also held interactions with people in Anantnag and Srinagar.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have already called meetings of their legislative parties in Srinagar on Sunday to devise their political strategy for the upcoming session. The NC has also called a meeting for all of its legislators on Sunday.

Legislative party leader of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, said that PDP’s four legislators will try to highlight public issues during the session. “We will try to take up issues of public importance and make the government accountable for its promises and actions. Youth and unemployment issues are key, and the government needs to address those governance issues,” he said.

The Congress, which is an ally of the NC, will also try to train its guns on the ruling party, especially on issues related to the public like the hike in electricity tariff, issues of daily wagers and the slow pace of government work, those in the know said. “We will raise issues of public importance during the session,” said a Congress legislator.

The 10-day autumn session of the legislative assembly is scheduled to commence on September 21, and will conclude on September 30. The assembly Speaker said the smooth and effective conduct of the assembly proceedings and the legislative institution carries a significant responsibility towards the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

“Every eye is on the proceedings of the assembly and the people are watching how their elected representatives articulate their grievances and raise issues of public importance in the House. This places a great responsibility on every member. It is, therefore, imperative that all members conduct themselves with due regard to the dignity, discipline and decorum of the House,” he said, adding that parliamentary debate should remain focused on public welfare, constructive deliberations and the effective articulation of issues confronting the people, while maintaining the established conventions and dignity of the legislature.