Srinagar, May 15(KNS): Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Sunil Kumar Sharma accused the ruling Jammu and Kashmir National Conference of “peddling lies” to defend the Speaker’s decision on allotment of committee chairmanships in the House.
Sharma said the Speaker had acted in disregard of established parliamentary conventions by allegedly handing over 89 per cent of committee chairmanships to the ruling party and its allies.
Reacting to the NC’s claim that 62.5 per cent of committee chairs in Parliament were allotted to the ruling side and 37.5 per cent to the opposition, Sharma said the party was “twisting facts” to shield the Speaker.
“The NC is conveniently hiding the fact that chairmanship of 62.5 per cent of department-related standing committees was allotted to the National Democratic Alliance and not only to the BJP.
Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelOpposition parties were allotted 37.5 per cent chairmanships,” he said.
Sharma said that if the principle of proportionate representation was applied to the J&K Assembly, three committee chairs should go to the BJP, five to the ruling parties and one either to independents treated as a bloc or to another opposition party.
He said the Speaker should follow the parliamentary process adopted in appointing heads of committees in Parliament.
“The chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee is always held by the opposition party and the same convention has been followed in J&K. However, the opposition has been ignored while appointing heads of six non-financial committees,” Sharma said.
He also said that the Committee on Government Assurances in Parliament is currently headed by the opposition.(KNS).