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Waheed Para files privilege motion over J&K statehood debate
Waheed Para is a legislator from the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party.
He filed a complaint called a privilege motion in the Assembly.
He says two senior officials may have tried to stop lawmakers from discussing a statehood resolution.
The resolution asks for Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood to be restored.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the law secretary wrote to the Speaker about blocking the resolution.
Omar said the chief secretary sent that letter to the Speaker.
The resolution was passed on Monday despite protests from BJP lawmakers.
Para says elected legislators should not need permission from unelected officials to debate such matters.
PDP MLA Waheed Para submitted a privilege motion against Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atul Dulloo and Law Secretary Achal Sethi.
Para alleged that the officials attempted to prevent debate on a resolution seeking restoration of statehood.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah told the Assembly that Sethi had asked the Speaker to disallow the statehood resolution.
According to Omar, Sethi’s letter was routed to the Speaker through Chief Secretary Atul Dulloo.
The Assembly passed the statehood resolution on Monday amid protests from Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs.
- Who
- PDP MLA Waheed Para, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Chief Secretary Atul Dulloo and Law Secretary Achal Sethi.
- What
- Para submitted a privilege motion alleging that senior officials attempted to scuttle debate on a resolution seeking restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
- Where
- The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
- When
- The motion was submitted on Wednesday; the statehood resolution was passed on Monday.
- Why
- Para said the alleged interference raised questions about legislative privilege, the authority of the elected legislature and the separation between the legislature and bureaucracy.
Key facts
- Motion filed by
- Waheed Para, a PDP MLA
- Motion targeted
- Chief Secretary Atul Dulloo and Law Secretary Achal Sethi
- Resolution subject
- Restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood
- Resolution status
- Passed by the Assembly on Monday
- Reported letter
- Achal Sethi allegedly asked the Speaker to disallow the chief minister’s resolution
- Letter route
- Omar Abdullah said it was routed through Atul Dulloo
- Assembly reaction
- Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs protested during the resolution’s passage
Quotes
Waheed Para
PDP legislator in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly who submitted the privilege motion
“If the facts stated by the chief minister are correct, the matter raises a serious question of legislative privilege and the constitutional separation between the elected legislature and the executive bureaucracy.”
telegraphindia.com
“I am therefore invoking the privilege jurisdiction of this House to ensure that the dignity and constitutional authority of the legislature are protected.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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