KOHIMA: The one-day monsoon session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembky taking place amid raging Covid situation in the state was held on Thursday with only a handful of ruling coalition legislators attending the House, while the opposition NPF boycotted the entire proceedings.
Only 22 MLAs of the ruling grouping comprising Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), BJP and an Independent, attended the house whose effective strength is 58.
Opposition Naga Peoples Front (NPF) having 25 MLAs did not attend the session, sticking to their announcment in this regard the previous day itself.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio was present during the entire duration of the house.
Even from the treasury bench, 10 legislators missed the session, which is sixth of the 13th house in the state.
Speaker Sharingain Longkumer, one if its members, was presiding over the house business.
The 10 MLAs were among the 19 legislators, from the ruling coalition as well as the opposition, who had applied for leave expresing their inability to attend the session due to varied reasons.
This session was earlier scheduled for July 30, but due to detection of COVID-19 positive cases among six assembly staff, it was deferred and held on August 13.
NPF, the lone opposition in the house, had on Wednesday itself informed the speaker about its decision to boycott the session for turning down its proposal for a longer session to deliberate on the pertinent matters of Naga political issue, SARFAESI Act, 2002 and the current COVID-19 pandemic scenario in the state.
In his brief statement, Chief Minister and Leader of the House, Neiphiu Rio, expressed unhappiness on the opposition party decision to boycott the session.
NPF Legislature Party spokesperson,Imkong L Imchen, MLA, had informed the speaker about their decision to skip the house in a letter to him.
"In order to protect democratic practices and to maintain the sanctity of the NLA, the opposition party will boycott the one-day session, which has been convened for mere fulfilment of constitutional obligation, Imchen had told the speaker.
The Nagaland Legislative Assembly Commissioner and Secretary P J Antony had said that notwithstanding NPF boycott the session will go ahead because the quorum for the sitting of the assembly is only 10 members.
On comnvening the one day session of the assembly at a time when coronavirus cases are rising in Nagaland, the speaker had said the previous day that the session is being held in order to fulfil the constitutional requirement of holding the sitting within a six months period.
The effective strength of the 60-member Nagaland assembly is 58.
Two members- one each from the ruling coalition and the opposition- died last year.
The session commenced with the house conveying condolences to the passing of five former legislators Kakheho Sukhalu, Noklem Konyak, Dr T Myinthungo Lotha, Rev Lhousuohie Mhasi and Sualemba during the intercession period of the assembly.
In the absence of the opposition members, replies to 12 starred queries put up by them, mostly focused on COVID-19 pandemic, were tabled in the house by the concerned ministers.
The Commissioner and Secretary of the assembly reported the assent of the Governor to five Bills.
They were The Nagaland Appropriation Bill (No.
1) 2020, The Nagaland Appropriation Bill (No.
1) 2020, The Nagaland Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill 2020, North East Christian University (First Amendment) Bill, 2020 and The Nagaland Goods and services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which were passed by the asembly during its sitting in February.
The house also passed by voice vote the Nagaland Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2020 moved by chief minister Neiphiu Rio.
Rio also laid the annual administrative report 2019-20 of the department of Justice and Law, while minister V Kashiho Sangtam laid the report of department of Soil and Water Conservation.
Chief Minister Rio also tabled four rules of the government on State Disaster Management Plan, Incident Response System, State Disaster Management and Minimum Standards of Relief.
The legislators attending the session were wearing face masks as per Covid protocols.