ISLAMABAD, June 26, 2013: The Punjab Assembly approved Demands for Grants in the seventh sitting of the Punjab Assembly’s second session on Wednesday. A total of 43 Demands for Grants were approved.
Five PTI and two PPPP members took part in the debate on the cut motions. Five cut motions were raised by the opposition. Two were disapproved in the previous sitting while the one – against the Demand for Grants for Health Services – was disapproved by the House in the present sitting.
Starting 30 minutes late, the sitting lasted three hours and 42 minutes. The Speaker chaired the sitting for three hours and 34 minutes while the remaining eight-minute proceedings were presided over by the Deputy Speaker.
The Chief Minister attended the sitting for 32 minutes while the Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for two hours and 36 minutes.
Seventy-nine members were present at the outset while 205 – also the maximum at any point during the sitting – were there at the time of adjournment.
Following are some key observations of the proceedings:
Members’ Participation in House Proceedings
- The Punjab Assembly met for three hours and 42 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1030 hours against the scheduled starting time of 1000 hours, witnessing a delay of 30 minutes.
- The Speaker chaired the sitting for three hours and 34 minutes while the remaining eight-minute proceedings were presided over by the Deputy Speaker.
- Seventy-nine members were present at the outset while 205 – also the maximum at any point during the sitting – were there at the time of adjournment.
- The Chief Minister attended the sitting for 32 minutes while the Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for two hours and 36 minutes.
- The parliamentary leaders of PML, PMLZ, PPPP and the only member of JI did not attend the sitting.
- The Finance Minister attended the proceedings for three hours and 30 minutes.
- Five minority members attended the sitting.
Representation and Responsiveness
- A total of five cut motions were raised by the opposition. Two were disapproved in the previous sitting while one – against the Demand for Grants for Health Services – was disapproved by the House in the present sitting. Seven members – five of PTI and two of PPPP – took part in the debate on the cut motions.
- The House approved 43 Demands for Grants.
- Six adjournment motions were raised during the sitting. All were deferred till Saturday.
Order and Institutionalization
- Twenty-seven Points of Order consumed 15 minutes of the sitting time.
- No instance of protest, walkout, or boycott observed during the sitting.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
- Information on members’ attendance was recorded but not available to the observers and the public.
- Copies of the budget speech were available to the legislators.
The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of Punjab Assembly proceedings conducted by PATTAN, a member organization of FAFEN