Empty chairs forced adjournment of house

SHILLONG, MAR 17: Perhaps for the first time in the history of the Meghalaya assembly budget session, Assembly speaker AT Mondal Tuesday had to adjourned the house for couple of minutes because of ‘lack of quorum’ and ordered ringing of the call ‘bell’ so that legislators especially minister comes back inside the house.\

Most of the ministers were not present inside the house as a result of which the house lack quorum’.

It remains a mystery as to why almost all the ministers were seen moving out from the house at a time when it was the turn of the opposition UDP legislator Paul Lyngdoh to initiate discussion after moving a motion related to PDS system in the state.

Mondal soon realize that the house lacked quorum as most of members, majority from the ruling bench. were not present inside the house. Even supply minister was also not present during the motion was moved by Lyngdoh on his department.

Mondal even had to ask Lyngdoh to brief stop initiating discussion on the motion he moved. Adjourning the house for couple of minutes, Mondal ordered for pressing of the bell so that legislators and ministers returns to the house and enable the motion to be discussed.

It was only chief minister Mukul Sangma was present s from the ruling side. His ministers spotted standing in the corridor of the assembly discussing amongst themselves. But it could not immediately be ascertained as to why they were standing in the assembly’s corridor and what they were discussion among themselves.

Later, after the house have had the required quorum Mondal asked Lyngdoh to initiate discussion on the motion he had moved.- By Our Reporter