Chandigarh, Dec 28 (PTI) Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Haryana Assembly on Wednesday as opposition members objected to the deputy speaker disallowing a calling attention motion given by INLD MLA Abhay Singh Chautala.
The calling attention notice was given by Chautala and some other opposition legislators regarding the alleged shortfall 7.4 lakh liquor boxes at a Sonipat godown.
After Deputy Speaker Ranbir Gangwa disallowed the motion from being taken up in the House on the last day of the winter session, saying the matter was sub judice, opposition legislators accused the BJP-JJP government of shying away from discussing the issue.
Later, Abhay Chautala staged a walk out.
While some opposition members said there was no bar on a sub judice matter being taken up for discussion, others sought to know why the calling attention motion was admitted and even tabled in the House if it could not be taken up.
Congress MLA B B Batra said there was no bar under the rules that the matter cannot be taken up for discussion. “When the calling attention notice was admitted and tabled, did the government not know that the matter is sub judice,” he asked.
Senior Congress leader Raghuvir Singh Kadian said this was a sign of failure of the government. “There is a convention when a calling attention notice has been tabled, the reply must come from the minister concerned otherwise it will set a wrong precedent if it is disallowed in this manner,” he said.
“Let the member (Abhay Chautala) read out his notice and let the government then say in its reply that the matter is sub judice,” Kadian said.
Congress member Kiran Choudhary asked, “How can it be disallowed after being admitted? “We want to know what procedures and mechanisms are being put in place so that it does not happen in the future,” she said.
“We do not want to say anything on that matter which is sub judice,” Choudhary added.
Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala then requested the deputy speaker to give his ruling that the matter is sub judice.
On repeated interruptions by opposition members, Gangwa said once it has come to light that the matter is sub judice, it cannot be allowed for discussion.
Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly, Bhupinder Singh Hooda said “when the calling attention has been accepted and tabled, let the member read out his notice and then government may say in its reply say the matter is sub-judice”.
Meanwhile, the deputy speaker asked a BJP member to read out his calling attention notice, which was given on another issue.
Later, when Speaker Gian Chand Gupta resumed his seat, the opposition members, including Raghuvir Singh Kadian, continued to argue on the issue.
Gupta also asserted that any matter which is sub judice cannot be taken up for discussion.
Former chief minister Hooda expressed disappointment over the adjournment motion given on farmers’ issue and sugarcane prices not being admitted by the Speaker.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the Speaker has taken a decision on the matter and discussion on another calling attention should be held. PTI CHS VSD IJT
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