State government mulls creation of Legislative Council of Assam Legislative Assembly

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State government is mulling moves to constitute the ‘Legislative Council’ or Upper House of Assam Legislative Assembly. The issue has been in the cold storage after it was mooted way back on December 3, 2013, when ‘The Assam Legislative Council Bill, 2013’ was introduced in the Rajya Sabha by the then Union Minister for Law and Justice Kapil Sibal during the UPA government’s second term at the Centre.

The Rajya Sabha Secretariat has been seeking views of the Assam government on the Bill a number of times after the BJP-led government took over the reins of power in the State. Following a fresh reminder from the RS Secretariat recently, the State government has decided to pursue the subject on a positive note.

Parliamentary Affairs department sources informed The Sentinel that in this regard data are being collected about the non-representation of small communities of the State in the Assembly owing to their lesser numbers of populations as compared to the larger ones.

It has also been learned that the issue will have to be given the nod by the State Cabinet if the Assam Government decides to pursue the subject with the RS Secretariat.

Mentionable, the high-level committee on the implementation of Clause-VI of the Assam Accord has also recommended the formation of a Legislative Council in Assam. However, the report is yet to be handed over to the MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs).

The Assam Legislative Council Bill, 2013, “is in furtherance of a resolution passed by the Assam Legislative Assembly on July 14, 2013, as required under Article 169 (1) of the Constitution for the creation of Legislative Council in that State”.

The Bill states that the total number of seats in the Assam Legislative Council shall be 42. Further, it lays down its composition, as stipulated in the Constitution, as follows:

Also Read: Budget session of Assam Legislative Assembly to have 12 working days from March 2-27, 2020

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