NL-ASSEMBLY-WALKOUT

Oppn walks out of Nagaland Assembly during Question Hour
    Kohima, Feb 23 (PTI) The opposition Naga Peoples
Front (NPF) Saturday walked out of of the Nagaland Assembly
during the Question Hour alleging that the ruling PDA
government was not following the laid down rules and procedure
of the House.
    The Leader of Opposition, T R Zeliang expressed
unhappiness over Minister of Urban Development Metsubo Jamir
replying to a starred question and supplementary of Rural
Development (RD) Department.
    However, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who is also the
Minister in-charge of RD, informed the House that he has
authorised some of his cabinet ministers to reply to some of
the questions.
    "Any minister can reply to any questions," Rio also
the Leader of the House said and insisted that it has been the
general practice of the Assembly in the past.
    But Zeliang alleged that such measure is a breach of
privilege. He also demanded that the Leader of the House
should state the rules under which such precedence was set and
walked out the House with the opposition MLAs.
    However, the Deputy Speaker Zhaleo Rio continued with
the remaining questions despite the absence of the opposition
MLAs.
    Later addressing the media at his chamber in Assembly
Secretariat, Zeliang said the government can always authorise
the MLA appointed as Advisor of the departments to answer the
questions. "There has been no such precedence nor any laid
down rule for a minister to reply to questions on another
department," he said, adding it has to be the Leader of the
House or the Minister in-charge only.
    "This government is going out of the rules and
precedence and thats why we walked out," he said.
    Zeliang also asserted that if such precedence
continues, the Opposition will move for adjournment of the
House and not participate in the remaining proceedings of the
session.
    The Opposition MLAs later joined the day's session
after the Question Hour. PTI NBS
RG RG