Guv prorogues Monsoon session; puts spanner on special assy session

Lucknow, Jan 10 (UNI) The Raj Bhawan has put the Mulayam Singh Yadav government in a spot today with the Governor proroguing the Monsoon session of the state assembly, making null and void the state cabinet's last night decision to convene a special assembly session on January 15.

It is learnt that the governor gave his accent to prorogue the assembly session after the state cabinet approved it on January 3.

Now the state government will have to send a new proposal to the governor by calling a fresh cabinet meeting for the new assembly session. Since it will be the first session of 2007, the governor will have to address the joint session of the legislature.

With this, the government's decision to reconvene the assembly from January 15, approved during the special cabinet meeting last night, became null and void.

Sources in the state parliamentary department also revealed that the proposal to the Raj Bhawan should be sent a fortnight before the date of the new session.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Mulayam Singh said he has convened the special session of the assembly to take up some important agenda. He also did not rule out that the government would be taking vote of confidence in the special session.

The monsoon session of the assembly started on August 21 last, and with only 14 sittings, was adjourned sine-die on December 15 last after approving the vote-on-account for the first four months of the next financial year.

UNI