Jailed Himachal legislator exempted from attending house

The Himachal Pradesh assembly Wednesday allowed jailed Congress legislator Ram Kumar Chaudhary, who is facing murder charges, to remain absent from the ongoing session of the assembly.

Speaker B.B.L. Butail informed the assembly that he has received Chaudhary's request to allow him to remain absent for the entire session from Aug 6 to 29.

The house, in the absence of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), allowed his request.

Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal later told reporters that Chaudhary was granted exemption by violating house rules.

"This item (granting exemption to him) was not listed on agenda. Even in the all-party meeting, the speaker has not informed the members. This is an impropriety and we oppose it," he said.

Earlier, Chaudhary got exemption to absent himself from the budget session from Feb 3 to 21.

The first-time legislator from Doon in Solan district is one of four suspects in the murder of a 24-year-old woman in Panchkula in Haryana Nov 22, 2012.

Chaudhary is the son of four-time Congress legislator Lajja Ram.

The 24-day monsoon session with 16 sittings of the house began Wednesday.