Chandigarh: The Budget Session of Punjab Assembly was on Thursday curtailed by one more day while opposition Congress continued to boycott the proceedings for the seventh consecutive day today, protesting against the suspension of party`s nine MLAs from the House.
As per the report of Business Advisory Committee adopted by the Assembly, the proceedings of the House will now be transacted till March 25.
As a result, the discussion on state budget has now been reduced from three days to two days. Earlier, the Budget Session was to run till March 28, but later the period for holding the same was reduced to March 26.
After the presentation of papers and reports of committee on Public Accounts, Public undertakings and Subordinate Legislation, MLA Darshan Singh Kotfatta moved a non-official resolution on amending the concerned law to grant rights to people residing within `Lal Dora` (boundary) in villages.
In the absence of Punjab Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal, the Presiding Officer adjourned the House after finding that the required number of members in the Assembly was not sufficient to maintain quorum of the house.
In order to provide time to more members to speak on the resolution, the Chair adjourned the house for one hour.
When the treasury benches met again, the resolution on law amendment giving rights to villagers within `Lal Dora` was passed.
Treasury benches accused the Congress MLAs of claiming allowances despite remaining absent from the Assembly.
SAD MLA Tota Singh asked the Speaker how Congress MLAs can be absent when they register their attendance.
On this, MLA from Amritsar Anil Joshi said, "Congress MLAs are claiming the money (allowances) but they are not attending the session."
The Speaker said, "They (Congress MLAs are absent from this Vidhan Sabha. I am concerned only with who is present here."
Outside the Assembly, Congress MLA again held a "mock assembly" at the entrance of the Vidha Sabha premises and dubbed the Punjab Budget 2013-14 as "directionless and hollow, suggesting no measure to put state finances on the track and not keeping its election promises."
The Congress MLAs passed a resolution that Election Commission should derecognise the political party which did not fulfil its promises during its tenure.
PTI
