PUDUCHERRY: Shortly after the Lt Governor’s customary address on the opening day of the Puducherry Legislative Assembly’s Budget session on Wednesday, the session was adjourned sine die by Speaker R Selvam.
This was because the Central government is yet to approve the draft budget. The territorial government needs the Centre’s approval for its proposals. This is just the second time in the Legislative Assembly’s history that the Budget session had to be adjourned indefinitely due to a delay on the Central government’s part. The first was during the tenure of the previous Congress-led government, when V Narayanasamy was chief minister.
However, on Wednesday, the Speaker later said that the session was adjourned as several ministers and MLAs were going to New Delhi to participate in the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ program on Thursday, and the Independence Day celebrations. The adjournment is in tune with the practice followed in Parliament and in Tamil Nadu, he added.
Selvam further said that the Budget is likely to be approved by the Central government in a day or two, and may be presented on August 17. The Business Advisory Committee will finalise the schedule on Wednesday, he added.
Minutes after Lt Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan began her address in the Assembly, members of the opposition DMK and Congress, led by Leader of the Opposition R Siva, staged a walkout in the Assembly, protesting against the alleged parallel government run by the Lt Governor and the “ineffectiveness” of the NDA government in the Union Territory. The opposition members wore black shirts to the House and were up on their feet as the Lt Governor began her address.