Puducherry assembly adjourned sine die post session under neem tree

The budget session of Puducherry Assembly, which began on July 20, adjourned sine die on Saturday after the conduct of proceedings under a neem tree outside the main building here.

The House had its session under the tree as the main hall was shut for sanitisation following an opposition AINRC legislator N S J Jayabal tested positive for coronavirus and was hospitalised on Friday night.

This is the first time the House held its meeting at an improvised site here, official sources said. The Speaker V P Sivakolundhu who presided over the day's proceedings adjourned the House sine die.

The House passed before adjournment the Appropriation Bill earmarking Rs 9000 crores for the government tabled by Chief Minister V Narayanasamy.

All the demands for grants to more than 30 government departments for the fiscal 2020-2021 were passed without discussion by the members. The Chief Minister and his ministerial colleagues moved the demands for grants to their respective departments.

Earlier, the Speaker and CM were in a virtual hot search for an appropriate alternative venue to hold the day's proceedings after the main hall of House was shut as a precautionary measure. Initially, the committee hall on the top floor of the Assembly's annexe campus was sought to be chosen for the day's meeting.

Finding that the space was insufficient to accommodate all the Members and officials, the Speaker finalised the open space available outside the main building for the meeting which began at 1.35 pm and went up to 3.30 pm. Necessary arrangements were made at lightning speed.

Except the opposition AINRC legislators, all were present and participated in the deliberations wearing masks and maintaining social distance. The House had witnessed an address by the Lt Governor Kiran Bedi on Friday instead of on the opening day on July 24.