Srinagar, Nov 4: National Conference (NC) leader and seven time MLA from Charar-e-Sharief Abdul Rahim Rather was, on Monday, unanimously elected as first speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
He was elected as Speaker of the House after Minister for Agriculture Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Cooperative, and Election, Javed Ahmad Dar, moved a motion nominating Abdul Rahim Rather for the post of Speaker. The NC’s MLA Ramban, Arjun Singh Raju, seconded the motion on the first day of the session. Rather was elected as the speaker through a voice vote.
Pro-tem speaker, Mubarak Gul, conducted the session.
Leader of the House and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah congratulated Rather on his election as the Speaker of J&K LA since he was a “natural choice for the post due to his vast experience.”
The newly elected speaker for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly on Monday said that he is committed to providing equal opportunities for both the treasury and opposition benches to voice their concerns.
In his inaugural speech Abdul Rahim Rather said,”I assure the treasury and the opposition benches that they will be provided equal support and opportunities to raise the issues in the House.”
Rather appealed to all Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) for their cooperation in maintaining the dignity and smooth operation of the House. “Our first job is to maintain the dignity of this House at all times under any circumstances,” he added, highlighting the importance of a collaborative spirit among members.
He stressed that the citizens look to their elected representatives for solutions and urged MLAs to fulfil the responsibilities bestowed upon them by the public.
The new Speaker reminded members that the time in the House is precious and should be used judiciously. He urged them to engage in constructive discussion and focus on how their actions could benefit the poorest citizens. “We will have to judiciously use the time of this House and raise our voice in a very constructive and positive manner,” he stated.
Rather also pointed out the need for accountability while encouraging a respectful tone towards ministers and officials. “Members have a duty to hold the government accountable, but this should not involve unnecessary contempt,” he said, reinforcing his commitment to fostering a respectful legislative environment.
As the custodian of the House, Rather vowed to support MLAs in ensuring government accountability while adhering to parliamentary rules and conventions. He stressed the necessity for all members to maintain appropriate language and behaviour, pledging to intervene when required to uphold these standards.
Rather,who has a long history with the National Conference spanning over 50 years, affirmed his political neutrality in this new role. “I will be taking dictation only from the rules,” he asserted, promising to run the House objectively and without bias.
Leader of Opposition, Sunil Sharma, Congress MLA Ghulam Ahmad Mir, CPI(M) MLA from Kulgam, M Y Tarigami, Peoples’ Conference MLA from Handwara, Sajad Lone and PDP’s MLA, Waheed Ur Rehman Para from Pulwama congratulated Abdul Rahim Rather on assuming the chair of the Speaker.
