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Our Correspondent
Kohima, Aug. 13 (EMN): The monsoon session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) was conducted on Thursday without a single member from the opposition party. Twenty-two legislators from the ruling bench attended the session.
On the night before the session, the opposition party -- Naga People's Front (NPF) led by its leader TR Zeliang -- announced its decision to boycott the session, over what it alleged was due to the failure of the government to extend the business session to three days.
Initially, the session was scheduled to be held on July 30 but was deferred to August 13 after six NLA staff were detected with Covid-19. It may be mentioned that the session was conducted in order to fulfil the constitutional obligations.
All precautionary measures owing to the pandemic were followed.
NLA Speaker Sharingain Longkumer said that 18 out of 60 legislators had applied for, and were granted, leave of absence ahead of the session.
Among the 18 members, nine were from opposition party. He added that those who did not apply leave application would be treated as absent without leave.
Neiba Kronu, minister for Planning and Co-ordination, Land Revenue and Parliamentary, termed the opposition's decision to boycott NLA session as "unprecedented, unfortunate and not appropriate".
In a press release issued after the session, the minister stated that the business advisory committee meeting had decided on a one-day session in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite significant challenges due to Covid-19 pandemic, the secretariat of the NLA and the state government had undertaken steps and measures to ensure that the session could be held without any hindrances.
"Therefore at times like this, we should not play blame game as both ruling and opposition have equal role to play. Even though it is a one-day session, together we can resolve many good things for the welfare of the people," he added.
The ruling bench had invited the opposition party to have a joint legislators' forum (JLF) meeting right after the session but the later had turned down the proposal, Kronu said.
Even in the last government under the leadership of TR Zeliang, sometimes the session had been adjourned early, after few minutes of discussion to fulfil the constitutional obligations, he claimed.
The session, which lasted for around two hours, began with the speaker paying obituary references to the passing away of five former legislators -- Kakheho Sukhalu, Noklem Konyak, Dr. T Myingthungo Lotha, Rev. Lhousuohie Mhasi, and Sualemba. After which, the house observed a two-minute silence to pay tribute to them.
The proceedings included starred and unstarred questions, introduction and passing of government bills, and laying of reports and rules.
The discussion on matters of urgent public importance pertaining to Covid-19 pandemic situation, which was to be initiated by opposition leader TR Zeliang and two other legislators was not taken up.
A few reports, which were to be presented in the Assembly by the opposition members, were not delivered in light of their absence.
In the absence of opposition members, the speaker gave assent to lay replies on the table after the questions were read to the House.
With no other business left for the day, the NLA Speaker Longkumer adjourned the house sine die.