SHIMLA: Tribal Kinnaur Congress MLA Jagat Negi, CPIM leader Rakesh Singha, Congress MLA, Ram Lal Thakur and dalit leaders Mohan Lal Brakta(Congress) and Ramesh Dhawala(BJP) figured among top MLAs, who asked the largest number of questions in the outgoing 13th Vidhan Sabha of Himachal Pradesh.
Interestingly most of the questions were asked by the MLAs from ST and SC Reserved categories- one tribal and two SC. Then there is lone CPIM MLA Rakesh Singha who figured among the top five.
Most of the questions related to PWD, Jal Shakti, education, health and the like.
This report on performance of the 2017-2022 Vidhan Sabha was released to the media today by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Himachal Pradesh Election Watch(HPEW), the watchdog of elections in India.
But ADR and HPEW are silent as to whether or not the MLA who ask the highest number of questions is the best MLA.
“If such an MLA is the best MLA then what is his/her score card back in his/her own constituency?”, report does not comment.
Or otherwise, is the MLA who ask few questions on the flour of the House, is also a worst-performer or not. ADR and HPEW offers no analysis.
If one goes by the party’s own perspectives, Congress withheld the ticket of Negi till his name was declared in the last list.
BJP showed the doors to scores of top scorers asking larger number of questions on the floor of the House.
They include Col Inder Singh, BJP MLA from Sarkaghat(114 questions), Arun Singh, MLA from Jawali(97 questions).
Ramesh Chand Dhawala Jawalamukhi BJP MLA asked 289 questions but BJP shifted him to Dehra.
ADR and HPEW had filed RTI applications with the Himachal Pradesh Assembly Secretariat, seeking information pertaining to the “performance of the Himachal Pradesh MLAs and the Legislative Assembly”.
HPEW coordinator Dr OP Bhureta said this report has been generated from the information received up to August 2022.
Whereas from 2018 to 2021 the report covers the complete calendar years, for the year 2022 the report covers data available from January to August 2022, he stated.
ADR found only 60 MLAs out of 68 MLAs have asked questions. But It does not reveal the names of MLAs who did not ask any questions.
These 60 MLAs asked total 8,069 questions. The details of top 5 MLAs who have asked the highest number of questions are given below.
S.No. | Name of the Member | Constituency | Party | Total Number of Questions Asked |
1 | Jagat Singh Negi | Kinnaur | INC | 482 |
2 | Mohan Lal Brakta | Rohru | INC | 368 |
3 | Rakesh Singha | Theog | CPI(M) | 334 |
4 | Ram Lal Thakur | Sri Naina Deviji | INC | 291 |
5 | Ramesh Chand Dhawala | Jawalamukhi | BJP | 289 |
As many as 54 Bills were tabled in the 13th Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly and all of them were passed.
Most of the bills were passed not with much debate, within two days (31 bills) while others took three to five days.
There are 68 seats in Himachal Pradesh Assembly. However, this report also includes the analysis for the MLAs who have resigned or got elected through by-elections, stated ADR and HPEW.
