PANJIM: In a dramatic turn of events, Speaker Rajesh Patnekar on Tuesday, curtailed the ongoing Budget session of the State Legislative Assembly and adjourned it to July 19, 2021.
Earlier on March 17 at the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting, four MLAs – Leader of the Opposition Digambar Kamat, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, Marcaim MLA Sudin Dhavalikar and Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao – had called on the Chief Minister and the Speaker to curtail the Budget session to two days and adjourn it to a later period. The Chief Minister had not accepted this demand at that time and the Assembly session began as scheduled. Until Tuesday morning, the session was to go on as scheduled.
However, following various meetings held on Tuesday, including another BAC meeting, at the post lunch-session, the Speaker adjourned the House till mid July. The session was scheduled to culminate on April 16.
Minutes before this could happen, Kamat, recalled what the BAC had recommended at its previous meeting.
To this, the CM said he had listened to the BAC but as the Model Code of Conduct had ended by then, he had decided to continue with the Assembly session.
Thereafter, Sardesai argued that the CM had earlier refused to listen to the BAC and pointed out that the Speaker was a witness to this. He further argued against the CM’s submission that the Model Code of Conduct was over as the MLAs had spoken about the election code of conduct that would be imposed for the remaining municipal elections.
“We had even written a letter which was sent to the Governor that clearly stated we had made this demand in anticipation of the Model Code of Conduct to come. We spoke specifically about that and not about the code of conduct that got over. Don’t think we are sleeping in the House here,” Sardesai said to the CM.
The CM then reiterated that the code of conduct for the first phase of municipal elections had gotten over and that a considerable number of days had passed between the time of earlier code of conduct ending and the new code of conduct that was imposed on Tuesday by the State Election Commission.
“Since the code of conduct for the municipal elections has begun, it was decided at the BAC to curtail the Assembly session and begin on July 19,” Sawant said.
The CM had presented the State Budget on March 24, which is yet to be passed. The discussion on the Budget and replies from the CM and ministers also did not take place in this session.
At this final session, the House also passed the vote on account for various departments for five months.
Furthermore, Kamat had also cited the rising number of COVID cases as a reason for curtailing the Assembly session.
