Venue for Himachal Vidhan Sabha session undecided; possibility of postponement

Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 27

The possibility of the winter session of the Vidhan Sabha being postponed, or being held in Shimla and not in Dharamshala — as is the practice — remains open, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Bhardwaj has said on Friday.

The decision was taken at an all-party meeting chaired by Vidhan Sabha Speaker Vipin Parmar here on Friday.

The meeting was attended by CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri, CPM MLA Rakesh Singha and Independent MLA Hoshiyar Singh.

The dates for convening the winter session at Dharamshala from December 7 to 11 have already been decided. However, demand is being made by some Congress legislators to postpone the session in view of the surge in COVID-19 situation.

Bhardwaj said both options of postponing or holding the session at Shimla instead of Dharamshala remains open.

“The Chief Minister will be apprised of the opinion of various parties and the Cabinet will finally take a call on the issue of the winter session,” said Bhardwaj. He said now the cabinet would take the final call.

Bhardwaj added that since the monsoon session concluded on September 18, there is still six-months time till March 18, 2021, to hold the session.

“As per norms, the assembly must meet within six months so there was no urgency to convene the session immediately,” he added.