Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Wraps Up a Productive Session

The Speaker of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, proudly announced the successful conclusion of the sixth session of the fourteenth Legislative Assembly on September 10, 2024. This session, which started on August 27, included 11 sittings over 53 hours, achieving an impressive productivity rate of 96 percent.

Initially set to end on September 9, the session was extended by a day with unanimous consent from the House. On the opening day, heartfelt tributes were paid to former MLAs Daulat Ram Chaudhary, Narayan Singh Swami, and Tek Chand. The Assembly also expressed condolences for the victims of recent natural disasters in the state.

Throughout the session, the government addressed a total of 779 questions—480 starred and 299 unstarred. Pathania highlighted that 14 topics were thoroughly debated under Rule 62, while one subject was discussed under Rule 63, with members providing significant input. August 29 and September 5 were reserved for non-official member business, during which eight private members’ resolutions were introduced under Rule 101. Following discussions, three resolutions were withdrawn after receiving ministerial responses. Additionally, two government resolutions were passed under Rule 102, and five subjects were discussed under Rule 130.

The Speaker noted that 25 government bills were introduced and passed after detailed discussions. Moreover, 12 issues were brought up for special mention under Rule 324, to which the government provided updates. Committees of the House submitted 45 reports, and the government provided updates on actions taken regarding a resolution passed on December 21, 2023, under Rule 101. Ministers also presented various documents related to their departments and made important statements during the session.

This year, a total of 23 meetings of the Legislative Assembly have been held. In the recent session, 1,023 students from schools and colleges attended the proceedings, symbolizing the importance of the country’s parliamentary system and democratic values.

Speaker Pathania extended his gratitude to all members of the ruling and opposition parties for their cooperation, which ensured the smooth conduct of the session. He also expressed his thanks to Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harsh Vardhan Chauhan, and members of the Speaker’s table. Additionally, he thanked the Vidhan Sabha Secretary, officers, employees, senior state government officials, and staff of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation for their valuable contributions. Pathania also acknowledged the role of media representatives in covering the Assembly’s proceedings for the public.

Before concluding, the Speaker extended his best wishes for the upcoming Sharadiya Navratri, Dussehra, and Diwali festivals.