Engage in meaningful debate during Budget session, Speaker tells MLAs

Leader of Opposition (LoP) and BJP MLA Sunil Sharma on Thursday urged J&K Legislative Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather to ensure a disruption-free Budget session, which will begin on March 3. The Speaker emphasised the importance of meaningful debates during the session.

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The Speaker convened an all-party meeting at the Civil Secretariat, attended by MLAs from various political parties. The meeting aimed to ensure a productive session with full cooperation from all parties. Sunil Sharma and Surjeet Singh Slathia represented the BJP; Mubarik Gul, the National Conference; Ghulam Ahmad Mir, the Indian National Congress; Mohd Yousuf Tarigami, the CPI(M); Advocate Muzaffar Iqbal Khan, an independent legislator; and Waheed ur Rehman Parra represented the Peoples Democratic Party.

During the meeting, Speaker Rather stressed the need for cooperation from all political parties and independent legislators to ensure the smooth functioning of the Budget session. He emphasised the importance of dialogue, coordination and consensus-building to facilitate productive legislative proceedings.

In his opening remarks, the Speaker underlined the importance of dialogue and cooperation for effective legislative work. He urged MLAs to actively contribute to discussions, as their role is crucial in addressing public welfare issues during the session. “The Budget session is a crucial time for policy deliberations and financial planning. I urge all of you and your members to engage in meaningful debates, uphold house decorum and work towards the collective good of our people as well as the entire Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

Highlighting the significance of Question Hour, the Speaker encouraged legislators to use the time to hold the government accountable. “Question Hour is a key tool that ensures government accountability. Legislators must utilise this time effectively to raise public concerns and seek concrete responses,” he emphasised.

The Speaker also called for coordination between the opposition and the government during the entire session.

However, the meeting drew a response from PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, who posted on X, “Quite surprising to see a BJP legislator attempting to influence the Speaker of the assembly about what should or shouldn’t be permitted. The Speaker’s role is to maintain fairness, not to cater to any single party’s agenda. The question arises who determines what qualifies as anti-national or unconstitutional. The assembly should be a forum for open debate, not a setting where anyone dictates a list of acceptable topics.”