JK govt issues directives on legislative proposals ahead of budget session

Srinagar, Feb 25: The Jammu and Kashmir Government issued a circular regarding the legislative proposals that will be presented during the budget session of the Legisla-tive Assembly of the Union Territory, scheduled to begin on 3rd March.
The directive said that for a proper examination, all draft Bills and other legis-lative proposals that require legal vetting should be referred to the Department well in advance of the Budget Session.
It further said that all departments must follow Part-C of the ‘Transaction of the Business of the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Rules, 2019’ which outlines the process for handling legislative proposals and consulting the Department of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs.
It also said that in some Acts, the rules and notifications issued under those Acts have to be laid before the Legislative Assembly.
The departments have been asked to ensure that the rules/notifications are presented during the Budget Session to meet the legal requirements, it said.
It added that proposals requiring the recommendation of the Lieutenant Gov-ernor of Jammu and Kashmir should be submitted to the Lieutenant Gover-nor’s Secretariat at least 21 days in advance, according to Section 36 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019.
It further said that all Financial Commissioners, Principal Secretaries, Com-missioners, and Secretaries to the Government are strongly urged to adhere to the prescribed procedures for handling questions and other legislative matters in the Assembly.
It also said that Administrative Secretaries and Heads of Departments should be present in the House when matters related to their respective departments are discussed to ensure smooth proceedings.
These directives have been issued with the approval of the Competent Authori-ty to ensure that legislative matters during the Budget Session are handled properly and with efficiency, it added.