No time frame for decision on contempt issue against MLAs: Speaker

Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kuldeep Pathania today said that the issue of notice given to nine BJP legislators for contempt of the house for their conduct inside the Assembly will be decided but there is no time frame for this.

Speaking to media persons here today, Pathania said the decision on the notice to the nine MLAs was pending. “This will be a benchmark decision as it is for the first time that this kind of a case of contempt of house has been registered against the nine BJP MLAs, which it will be decided in a reasonable time,” said Pathania.

The Speaker said there is a Privilege Committee with all rules and regulations but a case of contempt of house is the first of its kind. “We still have three more years of this house and there is no time frame for taking a decision in this matter,” he added.

Pathania also confirmed that a Privilege Motion had been moved against BJP Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Mahajan to which he has replied.

Pathania also advocated convening of an in camera special session of the Himachal Vidhan Sabha to discuss issues of state interest for which there are rules. “I will personally speak to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur for convening a special session of the Assembly,” he said.

Pathania informed that this year the Vidhan Sabha will have a total of 27 sittings. “This includes 12 sittings in the budget session, 11 sittings in the monsoon session and there will be four-day session during the winter session to be held at Tapovan in Dharamsala from December 18 to 21,” he said.