Punjab | Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan committed gaffe, says Bir Devinder

Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan committed a gaffe while announcing the result of the votes on the confidence motion on the floor of the House on Monday. The former deputy speaker of the state assembly pointed this out today.

Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan committed a gaffe while announcing the result of the votes on the confidence motion on the floor of the House on Monday. The former deputy speaker of the state assembly pointed this out today.

Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan committed a gaffe while announcing the result of the votes on the confidence motion on the floor of the House on Monday. (Ravi Kumat/HT)

“It was an embarrassing imprudence on the part of the Speaker and a sad reflection on the wisdom of the ‘Chair’ to count a vote or the votes against the explicit wish of the member of the House,” said Bir Devinder Singh.

He questioned: how the Speaker has decided to count, two more additional votes for the motion, in the absence of any expression by Manpreet Singh Ayali (SAD) and Nachhatar Pal (BSP) in favour of the motion, particularly when both the members were present and seated on the opposition benches?

Even if both these members raised their hand, neither in favour nor against the motion; how could Speaker on his own construe that the silence means support for the motion, as per the rules of the House; even in this situation their votes cannot be counted for the motion, he said referring to rule 88 (2) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business.