Budget Session Prorogued

ISLAMABAD, June 26, 2014: The Punjab Assembly session was prorogued after the House approved 41 Demands for Supplementary Grants on Thursday during twelfth sitting of 9^th session, says Free and Fair Election Network in its Daily Factsheet.

The opposition lawmakers moved cut motions on three Demands for Supplementary Grants in respect of Jail & Convict Settlement, Irrigation Work and Loans to Municipalities/Autonomous Bodies. Six lawmakers belonging to opposition parties – five to PTI and one to JI – spoke on these cut motions for an hour and 22 minutes. The House rejected all three cut motions after the relevant provincial ministers opposed them. The Provincial Minister for Finance, Provincial Minister for Irrigation and Provincial Minister for Prisons collective consumed 16 minutes while responding to the cut motions.

The Finance Minister also presented the Supplementary Schedule of Authorized Expenditure for the year 2013-2014.

Following the approval of Demands for Supplementary Grants, the Provincial Finance Minister spoke for six minutes to congratulate the House.

Following are some key observations of the proceedings:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings:

• The Punjab Assembly met 2 hours and 33 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1100 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours, witnessing a delay of an hour.
• Nineteen members were present at the start and 102 at the end of sitting. A maximum of 128 members were observed to be present at one point during the sitting.
• The Speaker presided over the entire sitting.
• The Chief Minister was absent while Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for 31 minutes.
• The parliamentary leader of JI, PPPP and PML-Z attended the sitting.
• Three minority members were present.
• None of the members applied for leave.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House approved 41 Demands for Supplementary Grants for financial year 2013-2014.
• The opposition lawmakers moved cut motions on three Demands for Supplementary Grants in respect of Jail & Convict Settlement, Irrigation Work and Loans to Municipalities/Autonomous Bodies. Six lawmakers belonging to opposition parties – five to PTI and one to JI – spoke on these cut motions for an hour and 22 minutes. The House rejected all three cut motions after the relevant provincial ministers opposed them. The Provincial Minister for Finance, Provincial Minister for Irrigation and Provincial Minister for Prisons collective consumed 16 minutes while responding to the cut motions.
• The Finance Minister also presented the Supplementary Schedule of Authorized Expenditure for the year 2013-2014.

Order and Institutionalization

• There was no incident of walkout/boycott/protest during the proceedings.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• Information on members’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.

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The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of Punjab Assembly proceedings conducted by PATTAN Development Organization, a member organization of FAFEN