Opposition complain about not getting copies of bills in Punjab Assembly
Chandigarh, Nov 29- Opposition parties Aam Aadmi Party and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today lodged complaints with the Punjab Assembly speaker, claiming that they were not given copies of bills on time.
They alleged that this was depriving them of a chance to make important and relevant suggestions to the government on the bills.
On the last day of the Winter Session of the assembly here, as many as 13 bills were tabled and passed.
Initially, AAP MLAs complained that they were not getting copies of the bills and later an Akali MLA also lodged a similar complaint with Speaker Rana K P Singh.
"We have not got the bill yet," AAP MLA Aman Arora told the speaker in the House when Chief Minister Amarinder Singh moved a Punjab State Farmers and Farm Workers Commission Bill, 2017.
"We want to give some constructive suggestions to the government," Arora said, adding that according to rules, copies of the bills should be provided to members 15 days prior to the presentation.
"You could at least ensure copies of bills two days before presentation in the assembly," said Arora.
Another AAP member Kanwar Sandhu complained to the speaker about not getting the copies even as Finance Minister Manpreet Badal presented Punjab Infrastructure (Development and Regulation) Second Amendment Bill, 2017 in the House.
The speaker told AAP MLAs to look for the bills' copies on their tables but Sandhu and other AAP MLAs did it without success. Later, they were provided the copies by the assembly staff.
Earlier, Akali MLA and former finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa had informed the speaker that he had not received a copy of the Punjab State Farmers and Farm Workers Commission Bill, 2017.
The speaker then asked Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra to ensure that copies of bills were given to opposition MLAs on time. PTI
