The Hindu : Bengal Assembly Speaker critical of MLAs' conduct

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Wednesday, Jan 14, 2004

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Bengal Assembly Speaker critical of MLAs' conduct

By Our Special Correspondent

KOLKATA, JAN. 13. H.A. Halim, Speaker of the West Bengal Assembly for the past 22 years, is at a loss "to understand why MLAs keep on misbehaving" and not remember that "one cannot make a laughing stock of the House."

Talking to here today, Mr. Halim said that he had suggested to the leaders of different political parties with a representation in the Assembly to ensure that their legislators mended their ways "and behave as professional parliamentarians and not amateurs."

Such "misbehaviour," he said, "is a regular thing" but expressed the hope that it would be different during the budget session next month.

The Speaker found it particularly galling that "members misbehave when the Governor reads out his address" at the start of a session.

"They [the MLAs] ought to maintain decorum and pay respect both to the House and the office of the Governor" at the time the address is being delivered," Mr. Halim said. The Governor was constitutionally bound to read out whatever was provided to him by the State Government and "if members have any objection to the contents they can express it in the course of the subsequent debate on the Governor's address," he added.

The Leader of the Opposition, Pankaj Banerjee, of the Trinamool Congress, however, holds a different view. "Sorry, but if the Governor is found not giving a true version of the facts then we cannot remain mum but have to protest," he told this newspaper.

Mr. Banerjee said it was common knowledge that the Governor's speech was prepared by the State Cabinet. "But if there is a denial of facts in the address then it is the responsibility of the Opposition to put the Government in the trap," he said. On the question of ethics: "If ethics are to be maintained then both the sides have to do so."

"A signatory to the code of ethics was the Leader of the Opposition but the code is often not adhered to," according to the Speaker.

"The Governor, while giving his address, is only performing his constitutional obligation. Members should behave more responsibly. Moreover there is a need for them to so some homework and come prepared to the House which is not always the case," Mr. Halim said.

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