Cong seeks Prez’s intervention to direct govt to convene parliament

NewsBharati    23-Nov-2017
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New Delhi, Nov 23: Annoyed by the delay in convening the winter session of Parliament, the Congress Parliamentary Party darted a letter to the President Ram Nath Kovind seeking his intervention in directing the government to convene the winter session.

The letter dated Nov 21 said that not convening the winter session of the Parliament on time would set an ‘unhealthy precedent’.

The Congress party has alleged that the government was postponing the winter session without any valid justification and sought President’s direction to the government to convene the same at the earliest.

The letter said that the government was delaying the session due to Gujarat election, but parliament session should have been convened as per the establish practice and convention and not by the election schedule.

However, the government sources indicated on Wednesday that there was a possibility of winter session being convened by December 15.

The letter was signed by the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress’ leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, party’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma, its chief whip in the Lower House Jyotiraditya Scindia and whip Deependra Hooda.

They also reiterated the party’s allegation that the government was avoiding facing Parliament and answering questions on its “flawed and unpopular” policies an “rampant corruption”.

“We seek to draw your attention to the inordinate delay by the government in convening the Winter Session of Parliament without ascribing any justification for doing so,” they said in the letter.

The leaders said the 2012 Assembly polls in the State were held on December 13 and December 17. Parliament session, however, was duly convened on November 22 “as per practice” and adjourned on December 20 of that year.

“It is also pertinent to mention, that Winter Session is preceded by the longest inter-session break after the Monsoon Session vis-is all other inter-session breaks. Thus, not convening of Winter Session on time will set an unhealthy precedent,” they added.

Alleging that the government was avoiding facing questions on floor of the Houses, the leaders said it was a “matter of serious concern” that the members of Parliament were allegedly being denied timely opportunity to discharge their duties.

“It also undermines the institution of Parliament itself and calls for honourable president’s urgent intervention as the custodian of the Constitution,” they said.