Committee on Petition holds first sitting

The Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) held its first sitting on July 25 at 11 am in the committee room of the assembly secretariat under the chairmanship of K Konngam Konyak, advisor, Treasuries & Accounts, and Art & Culture.

DIMAPUR — The Committee on Petition (CoP) (2023-2024) of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) held its first sitting on July 25 at 11 am in the committee room of the assembly secretariat under the chairmanship of K Konngam Konyak, advisor, Treasuries & Accounts, and Art & Culture.

During the meeting, Konyak drew the members' attention to the committee's powers and functions and informed them that the CoP's mandate is to examine every petition referred to it, and if the petition complies with the rules, the committee may direct that it be circulated.

However, if the circulation of a petition has not been directed by the committee, the speaker may at any time direct that petition be circulated, he said, adding that the committee reports to the house its findings on specific complaints made in the petitions referred to it after taking such evidence as it deems fit and suggesting remedial measures either in a concrete form applicable to the case under review or preventing the recurrence of such cases in the future.

[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]

The following types of petitions and representations will not be considered by the committee but must be filed upon receipt with the committee branch of the assembly secretariat:

• Anonymous letter/letters in which names or addresses of senders are not given or are illegible.

• Endorsement copies of letters addressed to the authorities or other officers in the assembly secretariat other than the speaker or the house, unless there is specific request on such a copy praying for redress of the grievances.

It may be noted that any individual, association, or institution who desires to prefer petitions relating to the redressal of public grievances may send petitions in English or Nagamese duly signed by the petitioner/petitioners with a date and countersigned by a member of the NLA, addressed to the secretary, assembly secretariat.

The petitions may relate to a bill that has been published under Rule 64 or that has been introduced in the house, any matter connected with the business pending before the house, and any matter of general public interest, provided that it is not one

• Which falls within the cognisance of a court of law having jurisdiction in any part of India, a court of inquiry, a statutory tribunal or authority, a quasi judicial body, or a commission.

• Which should ordinarily be raised in parliament or any other state legislature.

• Which can be raised on a substantive motion or resolution, or

• For which remedy is available under the law, including rules, regulations, and bye-laws made by the central or state government or authority to whom power to make such rules, regulations, etc. is delegated.

The CoP for the year 2023–2024 was constituted on March 28, 2023, under Rule 233 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the NLA, consisting of K Konngam Konyak (chairman), C Kipili Sangtam (member), Zhaleo Rio (member), Kevipodi Sophie (member), Kropal Vitsu (member), Kuzholuzo Nienu (member), and A Nyamnyei Konyak (member).

Also read: PTCSU conducts sanitation drive in Phek