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Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on Friday said there was no occasion for the Opposition to raise the issue of Vande Mataram on the opening day of the monsoon session, asserting that the House follows the established practice of beginning its proceedings with the National Anthem and concluding the session with the National Song. Speaking with ANI in Shimla after adjourning the House for the day amid uproar on the first day of the monsoon session, Pathania said the National Song will be sung in the Assembly on September 3 on conclusion of the monsoon session.

'House follows established practice'

"The practice in our House is that there is a welcome first, followed by the National Anthem. The National Song is sung when we conclude the session. So, there was no opportunity today for any issue relating to the National Song because it is scheduled for September 3," Pathania said.

He said the National Anthem and National Song are not sung together at the same time in the Assembly and that there was no such precedent in the House. "In this House, both are not sung at the same time. There has been no such precedent till today. We begin with the National Anthem and conclude with the National Song," he said.

He said he decided to adjourn the House for the day due to a ruckus amid allegations and counter-charges between the treasury and Opposition benches.

'Legislature is supreme body'

Answering a query, he said circumstances surrounding a law could differ depending on whether it was passed unanimously or by a majority vote. "If a law is made unanimously, its context is different. If it is passed after debate by a majority vote, its context is different," he said.

He added that laws enacted by Parliament or a state legislature are subject to judicial scrutiny. "An Act passed by Parliament still has to go through judicial scrutiny. After judicial scrutiny, Parliament will continue to have its jurisdiction," Pathania said.

The Speaker maintained that legislatures have their own rules and procedures and asserted the authority of the state legislature to decide matters concerning the functioning of the House. "The legislature is the supreme body of the elected people of Himachal Pradesh. We have to decide according to our own rules and procedures. We live in a secular country...it is about keeping everyone together," he said.

The opening day's proceedings of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly were disrupted by a confrontation between the ruling Congress and BJP members over the timing of singing Vande Mataram in the Assembly. (ANI)