Haryana budget: Legislator panels not empowered to move cut motion

The eight ad hoc committees constituted by Haryana assembly speaker to consider demands for grants on 2022-23 budget estimates may end up doing a mere notional exercise.

Unlike the Parliament, these committees are not mandated to suggest anything of the nature of cut motions, thus making them toothless and ineffectual.

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had presented the budget estimates in Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday on which discussion will commence in the House on March 14. In the meantime, the eight ad hoc committees constituted on the lines of the standing committees of the Parliament, have been tasked with preparing reports on demand for grants from the departments after holding discussions. The eight committees comprise 75 legislators.

As per the terms of references of these ad hoc committees, they will consider the demand for grants and make a report thereon. But the report of the ad hoc committees will not suggest anything of the nature of cut motions.

Cut motion

According to the procedure devised for the budgetary process by the Lok Sabha, the motions to reduce amounts of demand for grants are called cut motions. The object of a cut motion is to draw the attention of the House to the matter specified therein.

As per the Lok Sabha secretariat, cut motions can be classified into three categories – disapproval of policy cut, economy cut and token cut. A cut motion which says the amount of the demand be reduced to ₹1 implies that the mover disapproves of the policy underlying the demand.

The member giving notice of such a cut motion has to indicate in precise terms the particulars of the policy which he proposes to discuss. Discussion is confined to the specific point or points mentioned in the notice and it is open to the member to advocate an alternative policy.

The economy cut is where the object of the motion is to effect economy in the expenditure; the form of the motion is that the amount of demand be reduced by a specified amount.

The amount suggested for reduction may be either a lump sum reduction in the demand, omission or reduction of an item in the demand. A token cut is where the object of the motion is to ventilate a specific grievance within the sphere of responsibility of the government and its form is that the amount of the demand be reduced by ₹100.

Discussion on such a cut motion is confined to the particular grievance specified in the motion which is within the sphere of responsibility of the government.

Futile exercise, says Kiran Choudhry

Congress MLA Kiran Choudhry, who was appointed chairperson of a committee but recused from it, asked what was the use of constituting such a committee if it serves no purpose. “We understand that an attempt is being made to emulate the Parliament. But if you cannot bring a cut motion, I am at a loss to understand the purpose behind the constitution of these committees. By not adhering to practices adopted by the Parliament, this will turn out to be an exercise in futility,” she said.

Independent MLA Balraj Kundu said the ad hoc committees are powerless as they cannot make an active intervention. “All I am expecting is to become more knowledgeable about allocations and utilisation of funds. The committees will give their suggestions but it will be the prerogative of the state government to accept them or not. The government can still make changes while seeking supplementary grants. But the ad hoc committees certainly do not have any power,” Kundu said.

INLD MLA Abhay Chautala said the government just wants to seek a stamp of approval on its budget estimates from the Opposition so that they can say that even the Opposition has supported this budget. “The committees are toothless if they cannot move a cut motion,” Chautala said.

Demands for grants

As per Article 203 of the Constitution, the estimates of expenditure from the consolidated fund of the state included in the annual financial statement and required to be voted by the state assembly are submitted in the form of demands for grants.

They include total provisions required for a service on account of revenue expenditure, capital expenditure, loans and advances relating to the service.