Himachal Pradesh Assembly condoles demise of ex-deputy speaker

The Himachal Pradesh Assembly Wednesday passed a condolence motion mourning the death of former deputy speaker Ram Nath Sharma, who breathed his last at a Chandigarh hospital after a prolonged illness.

Sharma passed away on Tuesday at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh.

As soon as the House assembled in the morning on the eighth day of the ongoing monsoon session, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur presented the condolence motion.

Several legislators including Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri and Speaker Vipin Singh Parmar spoke on the motion before it was passed.

Sharma, after serving in the Indian Navy (medical corps) for eight years, was elected twice (in 1977 and 1985) for the state Assembly from Una's Kutlehar constituency.

He served as the deputy speaker of Assembly from March 29, 1989, to March 3, 1990, during the Virbhadra Singh-led Congress government.