Srinagar: Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather, on Monday convened a high-level meeting with the Chairmen of various Assembly Committees and outlined their functions and responsibilities to strengthen legislative oversight and ensure robust governance.
The meeting was attended by Surjeet Singh Slathia, Nazir Ahmad Khan Gurezi, Mir Saifullah, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Nizam-ud-din Bhat, Justice Hasnain Masoodi, Muzaffar Iqbal Khan and Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah.
During the meeting, the Speaker underscored the crucial role of Assembly Committees in ensuring executive accountability through rigorous, detailed and non-partisan scrutiny of government policies, public expenditure and proposed legislation. He said these committees serve as an important mechanism for strengthening transparency and improving governance.
To streamline committee functioning and enhance the effectiveness of parliamentary oversight, the Speaker issued several key directives. Taking a firm stance on absenteeism, he directed that members should not remain absent from two or more consecutive committee sittings without authorization. Any such absence, he said, would be dealt with strictly under the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the J&K Legislative Assembly.
He further directed that a minimum gap of 15 days should be maintained between two consecutive committee meetings to provide sufficient time to the Assembly Secretariat and concerned government departments for preparation of agenda items, replies and related documents.
For effective scrutiny, the Speaker instructed that only one government department should be examined during a single committee sitting. He also emphasized that committee deliberations must remain confined to scheduled agenda items to ensure focused and productive discussions.
Abdul Rahim Rather stressed that the General Administration Department (GAD), in coordination with the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Department, should maintain close coordination with all government departments and the Assembly Secretariat to make committee functioning more effective, meaningful and result-oriented.
He further called for issuance of a circular by the General Administration Department to all departments regarding implementation of recommendations and observations contained in committee reports tabled in the House from time to time. Departments, he said, should strictly adhere to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the J&K Legislative Assembly. He also noted that agenda workload would be provided by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
Concluding the meeting, the Speaker urged all committee chairmen to lead their respective committees with dedication and commitment, ensuring that the legislative oversight mechanism continues to function as a strong instrument of transparency, accountability and public welfare.
The meeting was also attended by M. Raju, Manoj Pandita, and senior officers from the Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs Department and the Assembly Secretariat.
