Jharkhand assembly adjourned for indefinite period

House lifts ban on four suspended MLAs

The Jharkhand assembly was suspended for indefinite period on Thursday as it failed to carry out the House business due to “repeated impediments” created by the JMM. The assembly also revoked the suspension of four suspended legislators during the speaker’s closing remarks.

Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi (Parwaz Khan/ HT Photo)

Speaker Dinesh Oraon announced sine-die adjournment of the House after the passage of Jharkhand value added tax (amendment) bill, Jharkhand state university (amendment) bill, three other bills allowing permission to private universities to open branches in the state and annual budgetary provisions of the remaining departments through voice votes, amidst walk out by the JMM.

The indefinite suspension curtailed the budget session by four working days. The session was to conclude on February 7.

Legislators - Amit Mahto, Sashi Bhushan Samad, Paulus Surin (JMM) and Irfan Ansari (congress) - were debarred from attending the assembly for their misconduct during the winter session. They were suspended till March 31 and their pay and perks besides other benefits were withheld for the mentioned period on recommendations of the House disciplinary committee on January 19.

Expressing displeasure over the situation, Oraon said the assembly received 1147 questions in total related to public issues, of which 146 were short notice questions, 771 starred questions and 127 un-starred. “I am hurt and concerned about the waning dignity of the House; the law makers should think on how to re-establish it,” he said.

Earlier, the House passed the Arka jain University Bill, 2017, YBN University Bill, 2017, Jharkhand state universities (amendment) bill, 2017 and Sarla Birla University Bill, 2017.

It also passed the Jharkhand settlement of accounts and Jharkhand value added tax (J-VAT) Bill, related to modifications of VAT on certain items.