Ruckus rocks House, Oppn Members walk out
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 05 2018: A point of order raised by Congress MLA AK Mirabai soon after Chief Minister N Biren tabled the fifth report of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) sparked a commotion in the State Assembly today which led Opposition Members to walk out of the House.

As AK Mirabai raised the point of order, Speaker Y Khemchand pointed out that the point of order was irrelevant to the day's business list and he urged the Congress MLA to come to the point.

The Speaker's ruling sparked a commotion in the House and all Opposition Members walked out of the House with the exception of S Bira and O Lukhoi.

Later, P Brojen was also seen seated inside the House.

Raising the point of order, Mirabai said that all Members of the House pledged to abide by the Constitution.

Speaker Y Khemchand intervened and asked Mirabai to come to the point rather beating around the bush.

Th Shyamkumar elected on Congress ticket from Andro AC but joined the ruling and is currently holding Ministerial portfolios in total contravention of the 10th Schedule of the Indian Constitution, Mirabai continued.

The Speaker cut in and pointed out that Mirabai's point was not related to the day's agenda.

He then asked Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Yumnam Joykumar to proceed with agenda number 3 and present the Supplementary Demands for Grants 2017-18.Even as Y Joykumar presented the Supplementary Demands for Grants 2017-18 at the House, Mirabai did not stop speaking.

Nonetheless, the Speaker took up agenda no 4 and asked Deputy Chief Minister Y Joykumar to present Budget Estimate 2018-19 in the House.

In the meantime, Opposition Member Abdul Nasir raised another point of order.

Pointing out that the point of order was not related to the day's agenda of the House, Speaker Khemchand repeatedly asked Abdul Nasir to sit down.

Taking strong exception to the Speaker's ruling, most of the Opposition Members including their leader walked out of the House with the exception of S Bira and O Lukhoi.

Later speaking to media persons, Speaker Y Khemchand asserted that the point of order raised by Opposition Member when the Finance Minister was presenting the Budget Estimate was quite irrelevant.

A point of order can be raised only in connection with matters related to the business list, Khemchand added.