The Assembly will meet for a day to pass the Kerala Finance Bill. The Cabinet on Wednesday decided to request Governor Arif Mohammed Khan to summon the Assembly on August 24.
The decision of the government to convene the House is in the wake of the byelection to the Rajya Sabha seat in Kerala scheduled for August 24. As legislators have to come to the House to vote, sources said it was decided to convene the session on the same day. The session will be held adhering to the pandemic protocol.
Constitutional necessity
Moreover, the House, which adjourned on March 13, has to meet within six months before September 13 as per the constitutional requirement. “In the prevailing situation due to the pandemic, it is not advisable for the legislators to come again to the capital and, hence, the decision to convene the House on August 24,” the sources said.
The earlier decision to convene the Assembly on July 27 had to be abandoned, after the Governor summoned the Assembly, following the spurt in COVID-19 cases. Through an ordinance, the Cabinet extended the time limit for passing the finance Bill. The deadline for passing the Bill was extended to 180 days from 90 days.
The House is meeting for the first time after the session was called off on March 13 after a spurt in COVID cases. The sitting will be exclusively for passing the Kerala Finance Bill. Instead of the usual practice of referring the Bill to the subject committee, the House will discuss it department-wise and pass the Bill before adjourning.
The Opposition has hinted that it will move a no-confidence motion against the government in the one-day session. “Three days’ notice is enough for moving the no-confidence motion against the government,” the sources said.
