Our Correspondent
Kohima, Feb. 23 (EMN): The opposition Naga People’s Front (NPF) on Saturday walked out of the Nagaland Assembly during the Question Hour, alleging that the ruling PDA government was not following the rules and procedures of the House.
It all started when the leader of the opposition, TR Zeliang expressed unhappiness over Minister of Urban Development Metsubo Jamir replying to a starred question and supplementary of Rural Development (RD) department.
In response, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who is also the minister in-charge of RD, said that he had authorised some of his cabinet ministers to reply to some of the questions. "Any minister can reply to any questions," Rio said and insisted that it has been the general practice of the Assembly in the past.
But Zeliang was adamant that it was a breach of privilege. He also demanded to know under which rules under were such precedence allowed, before staging the walk out with his legislators.
However, the Deputy Speaker Zhaleo Rio continued with the remaining questions despite the absence of the opposition legislators.
Later addressing the media, Zeliang said the government can authorise the MLA appointed as advisor of the departments to answer the questions. "There has been no such precedence, nor any laid down rule for a minister to reply to questions on another department," he said, adding it has to be the Leader of the House or the minister in-charge only.
"This government is going out of the rules and precedence and that is why we walked out," he said. Zeliang also asserted that if such precedence continues, the opposition will move for adjournment of the House and not participate in the remaining proceedings of the session.
The opposition MLAs later joined the day's session after the Question Hour.
Nagaland AG backs chief minister
The advocate general for Nagaland, KN Balagopal came to the defence of Rio saying that the chief minister was well within his rights to authorise any minister to respond to queries. "The CM is well within his rights to give such authority to any minister, given the leave of the Speaker and therefore any other minister can reply to questions," he said.
According to him, the reasoning was based on the principle of collective responsibility. He cited Article 164 (2) of the Constitution, which states that the council of ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly.
It is not rare and is practised even in the Parliament, he said and added that such authorisation can be done only on the speaker's approval. By the same token, he said, in absence of a questioner, another MLA can be authorised to ask the question.
