Budget session of Meghalaya Assembly to begin from March 20

The budget session of the Meghalaya assembly will begin on March 20, Speaker Thomas A Sangma said on Monday.

The state budget will be presented by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on March 23, he said.

The calendar for the session was approved during a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) chaired by the speaker.

It was attended by Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong who hold the Parliamentary Affairs portfolio, UDP leader Lahkmen Rymbui, and opposition representatives -- Charles Pyngrope of TMC and Celestine Lyngdoh of the Congress.

"The BAC decided that the budget session will be held from March 20 to March 28," Thomas told PTI.

"The governor's address will be held on the first day of the session," he said.

Thomas said there will be seven working days -- government business has been allotted five days while private members' business will be held on two days.

The election of the deputy speaker will be held on the first day of the session, he said.

"We will issue the notification on Tuesday so that intending candidates can file their nominations," he said.

The Congress and the TMC, having five MLAs each, requested the speaker for official recognition as parties in the opposition bench, an assembly official said.

The Voice of the People Party, which has four MLAs, has not submitted any such kind of request, he said.