Orientation for NLA legislators concludes

Kohima, April 26 (EMN): The two-day orientation programme for legislators of Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) organised by Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE), Lok Sabha Secretariat, concluded on Wednesday in Kohima.

During the discourse on the second day, Sovan Kumar Ganguli, additional director of Lok Sabha Secretariat, dwelled on the topics like procedural devices to raise matters of urgent public importance in the house and assembly related questions and notices.

Ravindra Garimella, former joint secretary, Lok Sabha Secretariat, spoke at length on parliamentary privileges and ethics while Vinay Kumar Mohan, joint secretary, Lok Sabha Secretariat also shed light on assembly related questions, notices, etc.

Santosh Kumar, director of Lok Sabha Secretariat talked about assembly committees, financial and non-financial matters in the assembly.

Topics of discussion also included understanding of the basics of parliamentary privileges, Nagaland Legislative Assembly committees, committee on public understandings, non-financial committee, committee to scrutinize parliamentary law for application to Nagaland, committee on petition, privileges, subordinate legislation, government assurance, rules, on paper laid on the table, as well as format on demands of grant, offices of profit among other various issues.

RK Mallick, director of Lok Sabha Secretariat, Parliament of India, expressed happiness in coming to the state and having organised the orientation programme for the members of the 14th NLA.

As there are many more important issues related to the assembly, he suggested if legislators could come to Delhi or at a centre in Guwahati where similar orientation programmes could be organised or that they could come back to the state again for the same purpose.

Mallick further acknowledged the hospitality and love showered to them during their two-day stay in the state.  “Nagaland state is small; but small is beautiful,” he said.

Nagaland’s minister for Parliamentary Affairs, KG Kenye, thanked the visiting team from PRIDE for coming to the state to equip the legislative members with necessary information and knowledge on parliamentary proceedings and practices.

He hoped that the members benefitted from the two-day sessions which are “highly technical,” stating that public life, speaking and practices are different from the assembly within the floor of the house.

Highlighting some of the backgrounds of their assembly secretariat, Kenye recounted that Nagaland did not participate in the general elections in 1952 while the state officially entered into the Indian union in 1960 through the 16 Point Agreement.

Since then, the minister said  an interim government came into being from 1961-63, adding how they were way behind after missing the third general elections in 1962.

However, he recalled how they installed the first governor of the state while electing legislators from 40 assembly constituencies in their first general elections in 1964,  the conduct of assembly proceedings began before attaining the present day 14th house to catch up with the rest of the country.

Kenye related to the time Article 371 (A) was enacted to confer special provisions with respect to the state of Nagaland.