MLAs to learn house etiquettes

Ranchi: The lawmakers of Jharkhand will go back to the classroom to brush up their house etiquettes under the vigil of two constitutional experts, former general secretaries of the Lok Sabha Subhas Kashyap and GC Malhotra.
The training programme - organized by the department of parliamentary affairs, the state assembly and the government - was planned keeping in mind the state budget session that is scheduled to start from February 15.Kashyap and Malhotra will arrive in Ranchi on Wednesday and groom the legislators, more than two-third of whom are first-time MLAs.
Parliamentary affairs minister Saryu Rai, who is one of the key organizers of the training programme, said the day-long programme would be divided into sessions focusing on different issues. "During the first half, ways to raise urgent matters of public concern or questions during question hour, business plan of the house, CM's question hour, zero hour, call attention motion, private member bill and issues of point of order will be discussed," he said, adding that an open session would help members clarify their doubts.
Matters concerning the treasury bench will be dealt with in the second session. "Every legislative process is guided by constitutional norms and new legislators, be it from the ruling party or the opposition, must understand them properly. Unless the members are aware that they cannot raise objections even if the government is trying to circumvent rules to suit its requirements," said Rai.
Dr Jeetu Charan Ram, a first-time MLA from Kanke, said, "Subhas Kashyap is a well-known figure and an expert in his subject. I think it is an opportunity for both old and new MLAs to learn from him. New MLAs will be benefited more because they are not aware of the business rules and have remained less exposed to legislative traditions owing to lack of experience."
Explaining the necessity of such a programme, the first of its kind in the state, Rai said, "It is not that the opposition wants to waste time and hence create ruckus. What we have observed here is that time is wasted because the members are not aware of the business rules, invoking which they can compel the government to pay attention to their demands."
Radha Krishna Kishore, a veteran legislator, said, "We have been making efforts to improve the functioning of the house by introducing best practices... The workshop will help the legislators clarify their doubts." and understand the importance of business rules
Admitting that huge sum of money is being spent on conducting every hour of business by the government, Rai said optimum use of the working days during sessions must be prerogative of every member.