Opp VPP MLA moves breach of privilege motion against Speaker on CAG report discussion

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 22, 2024

A breach of privilege motion was moved by opposition Voice of the People Party (VPP) Adelbert Nongrum against the Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma for disallowing discussion on a CAG report on Thursday.

The motion was rejected after putting to vote. 

“The No’s have it, the motion is carried, the privilege is rejected by the House,” Speaker Thomas A Sangma said.

He also said, “If any doubt arise to the intepretation of any provision of the rule, the decision of the Speaker is final. This is my ruling.”

Nongrum had submitted a complaint of breach of privilege today against the Speaker’s decision not to admit his special motion to discuss on the report of the Comptroller Auditor General of India (CAG) on social and economic sector for the year ended March 31, 2022 citing that his rights has been denied. 

In this regard, the Speaker said, “The assembly secretariat had informed him (Nongrum) as per letter received from the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma that after CAG report is placed in the House, the PAC (Public Accounts Committee) examined the same (as per rule). As the report is still under examination by the PAC, I request you  not to list any motion to discuss the same. I feel this is the correct intepretation of the rules, it may perhaps discuss after the report has been submitted by the PAC in the House.”

Earlier, Nongrum said my parliamentary privilege has been breach by the Speaker by taking a decision to disallow this motion to discuss in the House the report of the CAG.

“We are at liberty to discuss the CAG report in public and in press and media, how come we are disallowed by the Speaker for discussion in the House. Can our fundamental right be curtailed this way?” he said.