Assam Legislative Assembly four-day autumn session begins today

GUWAHATI: Following all COVID-19 protocols, the four-day autumn session of the 14^th Assam Legislative Assembly will commence from Monday. Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in and around the Assembly.

Significantly for the first time, while only 50 per cent of the MLAs will physically attend each day's session, the other 50 per cent will follow the session from the respective legislature party's offices. This attendance rule will be followed on a rotation basis among the legislators. The Leader of each Legislature Party will determine the time as to when the party MLAs will attend the sessions.

Meanwhile, officers will be allowed only if discussions of their departments are slated.

'Supplementary Demands for Grants' or the 'Supplementary Budget' 2020-2021 will be placed on the first day. Altogether 21 Bills are likely to be discussed during this autumn session of the House.

The following three Bills of the 'Welfare of Plain Tribes & Backward Classes (WPT&BC) Department' were already introduced during the last Budget session on March 24, 2020. As its session time period had to be curtailed owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, discussion could not be held on these three Bills at that time. These are 'The Moran Autonomous Council Bill, 2020'; 'The Matak Autonomous Council Bill, 2020'; and 'The Kamatapur Autonomous Council Bill, 2020'. A new Bill entitled 'The Bodo Kachari Welfare Autonomous Council Bill, 2020' of the same department will also be placed this time.

The other Bills to be placed during the four-day session are as follows: 'The Assam Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill-2020', 'The Assam Taxation (Liquidation of Arrear Dues)(Amendment) Bill-2020', and 'The Assam Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill-2020' — related to the Finance (taxation) Department).

'The Assam Municipal (Amendment) Bill-2020' of the Urban Development Department; 'The Assam Agricultural Produce & Livestock Marketing (Promotion & Facilitation Bill-2020' related to the Agriculture Department.

'The Assam College Employees (Provincialisation)(Amendment) Bill-2020', and 'The Birangana Sati Sadhani Rajyik Vishwavidyalaya Bill-2020' – both of the Higher Education Department; 'The Assam Skill University Bill-2020' of the Skill Employment & Entrepreneurship Department.

'The Factories (Assam Amendment) Bill-2020', and 'The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) (Assam Amendment) Bill-2020' of the Labour Welfare Department.

'The Assam Motor Vehicle Taxation (Amendment) Bill-2020', and 'The Assam Inland Water Transport Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill-2020' related to the Transport Department.

'The Assam Ease of Doing Business (Amendment) Bill-2020', and 'The Assam Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (Facilitation of Establishment and Operation) Bill-2020' of the Industries & Commerce Department.

'The Assam Heritage (Tangible) Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Maintenance Bill-2020' related to the Cultural Affairs Department.

The Judicial Department has two Bills, namely 'The Bengal, Agra and Assam Civil Courts (Assam Amendment) Bill-2020, and 'The National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam (Amendment) Bill-2020'.

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