West Bengal Budget on June 23

Kolkata, June 9 (UNI) The West Bengal budget will be placed in the state Assembly on June 23 as the newly constituted House begins session on Tuesday next with the election of a Speaker.

Speaker Hashim Abdul Halim, set to retain the Chair in the 14th Assembly, today told reporters that the budget would be for a period of eight months with a Vote-on-Account having already been placed before the elections.

The election of Speaker would be conducted by protem Speaker Gyan Singh Sohanpal on the opening day to be followed by the customary address by Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi in the second half.

To a question, Mr Halim said no other candidate, had filed nomination so far to contest for the post of the Speaker.

Mr Halim, who first donned the coveted mantle in 1982 to be elected for the post for five consecutive terms, will have another five years to run to complete 29 years and become the second longest serving Speaker in the world, once he is elected for the sixth time.

'' There has been no other Speaker in the country continuing in the post for 25 years. There was one Australian whose stint ran for 33 years, '' he said.

Mr Halim said after a six-day debate on the Governor's address from June 14, the House would transact government business from June 20 to 22 before being adjourned till July three when discussion on the budget would be taken up. The period of the discussion was, however, yet to be finalised, he said.

To a question, the Speaker said despite a dwindled strength, the opposition would be alloted 50 per cent of the total time for questions and mention. However, a pro-rata system would be followed in alloting time for debates and non-official Bills depending on the strength of the respective parties.

In the newly constituted House, the ruling Left Front has an overwhelming majority with 235 members, while the Trinamool Congress has a strength of 29, just one short of being recognised as the main opposition and the Congress with 21.

The GNLF, SUCI, Jharkhand Party (Naren) and Congress-backed Independent members share eight more seats among themselves.

In a House of 294 members, one seat fell vacant following the death of Trinamool Congress MLA Bhupen Seth a few days after the election results were declared.

Mr Halim said Rajya Sabha deputy chairman K Rahman Khan would inaugurate a five-day orientation course for the first time members of the House. The programme, organised at the beginning of every term of the Assembly, would be conducted by West Bengal Parliamentary Forum.

The Speaker informed that Mr Barry O'brien, who had been nominated as a member of the House, would take his oath tomorrow.

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