The Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Mr. Brij Behari Lal Butail today justified action taken against BJP members and members of Presiding panel yesterday, terming it within ambit of Assembly rule. Giving a statement in the House on news item appeared in some vernacular Mr. Butail stated that references have been made on the issue in some papers that presiding officer could go on the chair of speaker.
However he stated that any presiding officer can go on the Chair in house if the Speaker of Deputy Speaker remained absent from the House or they allow the member of presiding panel to do so. No member of panel can go on the Chair as Mr. Suresh Bhardwaj did on Dec 21, 2016 after resuming the Chair.
At the time of this action, I was on the way to have the chair moreover deputy speaker Mr. Jagat Singh Negi was present in the House. Under these circumstances the action of Mr. Bhardwaj was justified and against the rules of House and contempt of Chair and the House. The Speaker also warned that he would also take more action if desired to condemn the action of members. It is worthwhile to mention that three members of BJP Legislative party had been suspended along with Mr. Bhardwaj as the House resolved to suspend them for rest of the Session.
