Budget session: Speaker calls all-party meeting on Feb 27

Srinagar, Feb 22: Ahead of the budget session, the Speaker of Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly has called an all-party meeting on February 27 to ensure smooth functioning of the 43-day long session beginning on March 03.
Sources said that Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather has invited two leaders each from the ruling National Conference and main opposition party Bharatiya Janta Party and one leader each from Congress, Peoples Democratic Party, Peoples Conference and CPI (M) to attend the meeting to be chaired by him on Thursday at l 1.00 AM in his office chamber at Jammu.
They disclosed that independent MLA Muzaffar Iqbal Khan has also been invited.
“We have ensured representation to all recognized and registered parties having members in the House,” an official said.
According to sources, Ali Mohammad Sagar (NC), Mubarik Gul (NC), Sunil Kumar Sharma (BJP), Surjeet Singh Slathia (BJP), Ghulam Ahmed Mir (Congress), Sajad Gani Lone (Peoples Conference), Muhammad Yousouf Tarigami (CPI-M), Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra (PDP) and Muzaffar Iqbal Khan (independent) have been invited.
The 43- day-long session beginning from March 3 is expected to be stormy with opposition parties set to corner the government on a host of issues.
While BJP will corner the government on issues of governance and commitments made by the ruling NC in its manifesto, Kashmir-based opposition parties like PDP and PC are likely to raise issues of Article 370, alcohol ban and other issues.
It is pertinent to mention that Peoples Conference president Sajad Gani Lone has submitted a resolution seeking condemnation of the August 5, 2019 decisions in the strongest terms and restoration of Article 370.
PDP MLA Mir Muhammad Fayaz has submitted a bill seeking ban on sale and consumption of liquor in J&K. (KNO)