Chhattisgarh Assembly Session: Chaos Over Delayed Death Notification, Opposition Walkout Over Election Postponement
Raipur: The eighth day of Chhattisgarh Assembly’s budget session witnessed chaos over the delayed notification of former members’ deaths. Speaker Dr. Raman Singh expressed strong displeasure and ordered action against the responsible officials. Later, the opposition staged a walkout during Zero Hour over the postponement of district and janpad president-vice president elections.
Action Ordered Over Delay in Death Notification
MLA Ajay Chandrakar raised concerns about the administration’s failure to issue timely notifications regarding the demise of former members. He urged the Speaker to take strict action.
Speaker Dr. Raman Singh responded, saying, “I had earlier directed the administration to ensure there is no delay in such notifications. This negligence is highly objectionable.”
The issue arose when it was revealed that the Assembly received information about the death of former undivided Madhya Pradesh MLA Dr. Devcharan Madhukar 20 days late. He had passed away on February 12, but the House was informed only on March 4. Expressing anger, the Speaker directed the government to take action against the responsible officials in Bilaspur district and present a report during the ongoing session.
Mineral Irregularities: Six Officials Suspended
Discussions also focused on irregularities in minor mineral revenue. During Question Hour, MLA Raghavendra Kumar sought clarity on the investigation’s progress.
Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao confirmed violations, leading to the suspension of six officials. He stated that ₹2.13 crore had been collected from minor minerals, with 21 out of 26 projects linked to water supply. Violations of storage regulations were also confirmed.
When questioned about a single firm allegedly receiving ₹75 lakh in payments, the Deputy CM clarified that multiple firms were involved, and a committee led by the Chief Engineer was investigating. He assured that guilty firms would be blacklisted if found responsible.
Rajnandgaon Samuhik Jal Praday Scheme Dispute
Congress MLA Daleshwar Sahu raised concerns over alleged irregularities in Rajnandgaon’s Samuhik Jal Praday scheme, claiming that official statements on the project were misleading.
Deputy CM Arun Sao responded that the scheme was established on government land as per the panchayat’s proposal. However, the MLA insisted that the land belonged to a farmer and demanded an on-site investigation in his presence. The Deputy CM agreed to conduct an inspection along with the MLA.
Drinking Water Crisis in Mahasamund
Congress MLA Dwarkadhish Yadav highlighted the drinking water crisis in Mahasamund’s urban areas, accusing the government of misleading the public. He alleged that pipelines were laid without a water source, leading to serious irregularities.
In response, Deputy CM Arun Sao detailed budget allocations of ₹40.09 lakh for 2023-24 and ₹1.35 crore for 2024-25 for pipeline expansion and overhead tank construction. However, when questioned about laying pipelines without a water source, he assured that an investigation would be conducted.
‘Invest Chhattisgarh Summit’ Criticized as a ‘Wedding Without a Groom’
During Question Hour, the opposition slammed the Invest Chhattisgarh Summit. Former Speaker and Congress MLA Dr. Charandas Mahant sarcastically asked, “Does Chhattisgarh have a tradition of holding a wedding without a groom?”—a jibe at the absence of signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) from January 2024 to January 2025.
Industry Minister Lakhanlal Dewangan defended the government, stating that investment summits in Delhi and Mumbai had attracted interest from 31 companies, with proposals exceeding ₹1 lakh crore.
Mahant questioned why land had not yet been allocated to investors. The minister responded that land would be provided as per investor demands and invited opposition leaders to the next summit.
The opposition also questioned the ₹1.03 crore and ₹1.61 crore expenditures on the Delhi and Mumbai summits, respectively. BJP MLA Dharamjeet Singh remarked, “If investments are coming in, what’s wrong with spending on hospitality?”
Government documents confirmed that no MoUs were signed from January 2024 to January 2025. However, 31 investment proposals were submitted, potentially generating 22,557 jobs.
Opposition Walks Out Over Panchayat Election Postponement
During Zero Hour, tensions flared over the postponement of janpad president and vice president elections. Congress MLAs Anila Bhedia, Savitri Mandavi, Dwarkadhish Yadav, and former CM Bhupesh Baghel strongly objected.
Anila Bhedia questioned why the elections were postponed without prior notice, alleging that it was done to facilitate political horse-trading. MLA Umesh Patel accused the ruling party of pressuring elected representatives.
Former CM Bhupesh Baghel cited the Durga district panchayat elections, alleging that two female candidates were confined at an MLA’s house to ensure an uncontested victory for another candidate—calling it a “murder of democracy.”
MLAs Vikram Mandavi and Dilip Lahariya also criticized the government. With no clear response from the ruling side, the opposition staged a walkout, chanting slogans against the government.
