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MP assembly to convene special session on Aug 31 to endorse Chhatisgarh bill

The two-day special session of the Madhya Pradesh assembly, to endorse the bill for carving out a separate Chhattisgarh state, will begin on August 31.

State law, legislative affairs and general administration minister Rajendra Prasad Shukla told newspersons in Bhopal that the bill would be introduced on the first day of the special session. After completion of general discussion on the bill on the first day, clause-wise discussions and amendments, if any, would come up on the second day.

He indicated the possibility of the state government moving certain amendments in the bill but refused to divulge any further details. He said the Opposition could also move amendments. It is up to the house to accept or reject all these amendments, he added.

Later a brief discussion on the whole subject would be held before the bill for the creation of Chhattisgarh state was put to vote.

After the special session, the tenth Vidhan Sabha would be prorogued as the assembly election in the state are scheduled to be held in November this year.

None of the political parties in Madhya Pradesh are opposed to the creation of a separate Chhattisgarh state. All of them are of the view that the new state should come into existence before the coming assembly elections.

Shukla, who comes from the Chhattisgarh region, said his party had already urged the Centre to initiate steps to carve out the new state at the earliest so that assembly elections in MP and Chhattisgarh could be held simultaneously.

Earlier reports said with President K R Narayanan giving his assent to the draft legislation, the government has set in motion the process for the creation of three new states of Uttaranchal, Chhattisgarh and Vananchal.

The President has returned the draft legislation to the ministry of home to be referred to the respective states for further action.

The President's assent is considered as a major step towards creation of the new states, to be carved out from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. Although there is some controversy regarding the creation of Uttaranchal because of the Akali Dal's demand not to include Udham Singh Nagar in the new state, the government appears determined to go ahead with its plan.

Narayanan has directed the legislative assemblies of these states to return the bills to the Centre by September 28 with their comments.

The bill for the creation of three new states, a long standing demand of the people of these regions, was approved by the Cabinet at its meeting on August 3.

With regard to the location of the capitals of the three new states, the decision has been left to the state assemblies.

UNI

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