Earphones to be used for 1st time in HP Assembly session

Earphones would be used in Himachal Pradesh Assembly for the first time during the budget session commencing from Monday on an experimental basis but there would be no Zero Hour as suggested by an MLA, Speaker B B L Butail said today.
"I have accepted the demand of HLP MLA Maheshwar Singh for providing earphones to members, but Zero Hour would not be introduced in the House and any decision in this regard would be taken in consultation with the government," Butail told reporters here.
"An all-party meeting has been convened on Monday in the morning, ahead of the session, to discuss various issues regarding smooth running of the House," he said, adding that this was also suggested by the Himachal Lokhit Party MLA.

Butail said the 21-day session starting with the Governor's address would have 14 sittings, including two private Member's days, and the general budget would be presented on February 7 and passed on February 19.
He said besides passing of motion of thanks on Governor's address and general budget for 2014-15, supplementary demands for 2013-14 would and other official business would also be taken up.
The Assembly has received 395 starred and 59 unstarred questions while the list of government business is yet to be received, he said.
Butail said efforts are on to make the Assembly "paperless" by achieving complete computerisation under e-Vidhan, whereby proceedings would be posted on the website immediately.