IMPHAL, April 4 - For the first time in the history of Manipur Legislative Assembly, a total of 21 legislators, headed by Assembly Speaker Yumnam Khemchand Singh, have left Imphal on Tuesday to attend a three-day orientation programme scheduled to be held at the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training at Lok Sabha Secretariat in New Delhi from April 5-7. Five Manipur Assembly officials are also accompanying the legislators.
Speaker Khemchand, accompanied by Assembly Secretary M Ramani and Joint Secretary Rohit Sapam, announcing this at a press conference here prior to their departure on Tuesday, said the programme is aimed at promoting a deeper understanding and appreciation of the constitutional role and position of Parliament as the supreme representative institution, familiarizing the members closely with the operational mechanism, parliamentary traditions, conventions and etiquette.
Of the 21 recently elected legislators (13 BJP MLAs, 2 each of Congress, National People�s Party and Naga People�s Front MLAs and 1 independent), 20 are first time MLAs.
Khemchand also said that a notice seeking disqualification of Th Shyamkumar, who was elected on a Congress ticket, is �under process�.
Shyamkumar had joined the BJP on March 12 and took oath as a Cabinet Minister. He voted in favour of the BJP-led coalition government during the trust vote and supported BJP candidate Khemchand for the Speaker�s post on March 20.
Khemchand also said that discussion is on for Deputy Speaker�s post.
