Assembly session may be cut short

The session, which began on June 14, was originally scheduled for 24 days, to take up debate on demands on various departments and is scheduled to go up to July 19. 

Incidentally, the Presidential poll was notified on the same day the Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal announced the schedule for the present session of the Assembly in concurrence with the Business Advisory Committee, which finalised the session’s itinerary. 

The session has so far met for 9 days and has debated and passed demands for nearly 20 departments and demands from 30 and odd departments would be taken up in the rest of the days in the session, which would resume on Wednesday following a 3-day holiday. 

As per the schedule, the debate and reply on demand for Police and Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services was scheduled for three days – July 6, 7 and 10 with a two-day holiday in between. Sources said a decision may be taken to cut-down the number of days without affecting the debate by cutting down the holidays. 

Session schedule is prepared in such a way with 2-day holiday over the weekend except for the week, which began on June 19 during which the House was in session for all 6 week days until June 24. 

“It is most likely that the debate on demands for all departments would be concluded prior to the Presidential Polls considering the clash of schedule and to facilitate the polling,” said a ruling party source on condition of anonymity. 

When contacted, Congress legislature party leader KR Ramasamy said that he had not received any communication from the House over a meeting of Business Advisory Committee, or reducing the duration of the session.