PANAJI
Ironically, as it may seem, Goa's 40 elected lawmakers have met for an average of just 17.33 days per year over the last six years -- since March 2019 -- to hold meaningful debates and raise issues of public interest. A worrying trend is emerging in the Goa Legislative Assembly, and the upcoming two-day Winter Session is a testament to it.
A detailed analysis shows the shrinking graph of the Goa Legislative Assembly since March 2019 when Pramod Sawant took over the reins of the State from his predecessor late Manohar Parrikar. From then till December 2024, the House met only for 104 days with the longest session being the 2019 Monsoon session when MLAs discussed business for 20 days.
Monsoon sessions of 2023 and 2024 Monsoon also saw 18 days sitting.
These 104 days include some single day or a five-day sitting to meet the Constitutional obligations. According to the experts, the short-duration of the Assembly session has killed the very purpose of healthy debate in democracy.
Record shows that the BJP-led Goa Assembly has convened for 272 days since 2012 that included a maximum 137 days between 2012-17, 31 days in 2017-19 and 104 days from 2019 till date.
Like Parliament, an assembly usually meets thrice --Budget, Monsoon and a Winter Session -- a year. The data, as available on the Goa Legislative Assembly website, shows that it was last year, when the House had a maximum of 23 days sitting followed by 22 days in 2023 and 2019.
In 2020, the number of days was just 7 while in 2021 it was 13. This can be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic impact and consequent lockdowns.
In view of the General Assembly elections held in February 2022, the Legislative Assembly did not meet for the winter sitting. That year, it had only two sessions -- Budget (3 days) and Monsoon session (10 days).
During this period, the House met for just a single day on four different occasions -- twice each in 2019 -- that included Pramod Sawant proving his majority and 2020.
A former Legislative Secretary told The Goan that the Indian Constitution does not stipulate the number of days that a legislative assembly should meet and this is what being misused by those in power.
He said that the situation is similar across all Indian States. “In Goa, at least we see full quorum. In some States like Delhi, you will see House getting adjourned for no quorum,” he said.
When contacted, Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar said that it is a prerogative of the Chief Minister and those in the government. “It is important that we increase the number of days that the House meets so that the public issues are raised. I have taken up the issue with the Chief Minister in the past and now too,” he explained.
For healthy discussions, debates and equal participation, it is important that we hold Assembly sessions of longer duration, the Speaker said adding “with just seven people in Opposition, it is important that they get enough time”.
