A day after former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti slammed him for "acting as a censor," Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Abdul Rahim Rather today advised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president to read the rules properly before making any statements.
Referring to comments made by Mehbooba Mufti, in which she charged him with imposing martial law, Rather said, "I am sorry to say that she has not been properly advised, and her statement is against the rules' position."
The Speaker, while talking about the issue, said, "Rule 368 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly provides that notice shall not be given publicity by any member or other person until it has been admitted by the Speaker and circulated to members. Similarly, a notice of a question shall not be given any publicity until the day on which the question is answered in the House."
The Speaker further said, "Rule 334-A of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha also provides that notice shall not be given publicity by any member or other person until it has been admitted by the Speaker and circulated to members. Also, a notice of a question shall not be given any publicity until the day on which the question is answered in the House."
While commenting on parliamentary procedure and practice by renowned authorities on the subject, the Speaker said, "As per the commentary on the practice and procedure of Parliament by M.N. Kaul and S.L. Shakdher, who are renowned authorities on the subject, it is provided that according to parliamentary practice, usage, and convention, it is improper to give, for any reason, premature publicity in the press to notices of questions, adjournment motions, resolutions, answers to questions, and other similar matters connected with the business of the House. If this takes place, the Speaker may express his displeasure against the person responsible for it."
Mehbooba Charges Speaker with Imposing "Martial Law"
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday accused the Speaker of the Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather, of imposing a form of "martial law."
Mufti said the role of the Speaker of an Assembly is to safeguard the rights of the members of the House and not act as a censor.
"While Rather Sahab may be concerned with preserving the sanctity of legislative proceedings, as Speaker, his primary role is to safeguard the rights of members, not to act as a censor," Mehbooba Mufti posted on her social media handle while sharing a statement by the Speaker of the Assembly.
"Transparency and public awareness of legislative activities should not be seen as an infringement on parliamentary practices. On the contrary, informing the public about notices, questions, and resolutions in advance promotes accountability," she further said, adding, "Many significant parliamentary bills, such as the recent Waqf Bill, are debated publicly for months. Regrettably, it appears that Rather Sahab, a seasoned politician, is imposing a form of martial law while occupying a constitutional position."
