Speaker calls for more space to state in Vidhan Sabha

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 6

Haryana Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta on Friday wrote to his Punjab counterpart Rana KP Singh, calling for more space in the Vidhan Sabha building, housing Assemblies of both states.

In his letter, Gupta said, “The total area of the building is 66,430 sq ft. A meeting held on October 17, 1966, presided over by then Chief Engineer, Capitol Project, Chandigarh, the building was divided into three parts. An area of 30,890 sq ft (46.5 per cent) was allotted to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, 10,910 sq ft (16.4 per cent) to the Punjab Vidhan Parishad Secretariat and 24,630 sq ft (37.1 per cent) to the Haryana Vidhan Sabha Secretariat.”

“Punjab got 62.9 per cent. But we didn’t get our share of 37.1 per cent,” Gupta told the media here on Friday.

He said 20 rooms of Haryana’s share were still with Punjab.

The letter states, “At present, the Punjab and Haryana Vidhan Sabha Secretariats have the same working and the same strength of employees. But due to shortage of space, employees and MLAs are not able to work properly. During the Haryana Assembly session, ministers can’t call emergency meetings in the building.”