The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has compiled a list of MLAs who were absent during the final days of the Assembly budget session, defying the party whip. The TMC plans to address this issue with "disciplinary action" once Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee returns from her visit to London later this week, as reported by PTI.
According to TMC sources cited by the news agency, the party's Disciplinary Committee will take further action once they receive a list from the office of Speaker Biman Banerjee regarding lawmakers who requested leave.
During the second phase of the budget session, the TMC issued a whip directing MLAs to be present in the Assembly on March 19 and 20. The party's disciplinary body is currently scrutinizing attendance records and has identified that over 30 MLAs were absent during the last few days of the budget session.
The party is seeking explanations from these lawmakers regarding their absence, despite the directive to be present. TMC leadership views repeated absenteeism as a serious concern. A senior TMC leader stated, "This is nothing but an act of irresponsibility. Several legislators are habitually skipping the Assembly, despite the issued whip. The party has decided to take firm action against them."
TMC sources revealed that the process of compiling the list of absentees has been completed. Once the details from the Speaker's office are received, the next steps will be taken. Initially, the TMC Disciplinary Committee was set to meet on March 29, but sources indicated that the meeting may be delayed until the end of the week due to the upcoming Eid celebrations. The party aims to complete all preliminary work before the festival.
TMC Chief Whip Nirmal Ghosh instructed his office to quickly compile the absentee list, and sources report that this task has already been finished. After receiving the necessary information from the Speaker's office, individual lawmakers will be summoned to explain their absences.
TMC's senior leadership is eager to address the issue as soon as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee returns from her trip to London, which is expected to be before Eid. The leadership plans to take action once she is back in Kolkata.
Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Chairman of the TMC Disciplinary Committee, is expected to initiate the disciplinary process upon Banerjee's return, although he declined to comment on the specific actions that may be taken against the absent MLAs.
Lawmakers are required to sign their presence in three registers: two for ministers and one for MLAs. These registers have been examined to determine the exact number of absentees, particularly those who missed sessions without a valid reason.
On March 19, when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was present in the House, nearly 215 MLAs attended. However, the following day, on March 20, only about 90 TMC legislators were in attendance.
Banerjee, who left for London on March 22, is scheduled to deliver a lecture at Oxford University on March 27, and she is expected to return to India between March 28 and 29.
(With PTI inputs)
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