Assembly Business

Summoning of the Assembly

The summoning of the assembly takes place as follows:

  • Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department obtains orders from the governor for convening a session of the Assembly, and communicates such orders to the Secretary of the Assembly for further necessary action in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab 1997
  • Each department keeps under review the official business intended to be brought before the Assembly and, not later than five days before the commencement of the session and forwards to Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department a detailed list of such business
  • Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs prepares a provisional forecast of the official business to be brought before the Assembly and makes appropriate proposal to the Speaker for the allotment of days for the transaction of such business

Prorogation of the Assembly

In case a session of the Assembly is summoned by the Governor, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department, at an appropriate time, obtains orders of the Governor for the prorogation of the Assembly, and communicates such orders to the Secretary of the Assembly for further necessary action in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab 1997.

General Provisions Regarding Assembly Business

The general provisions regarding assembly business are:

  • For purposes of smooth conduct of the Assembly business and liaison with the Assembly and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department, each Department nominates a focal person (not below the rank of a Deputy Secretary) and intimates his particulars to the Secretary of the Assembly, Secretary (I&C) of Services and General Administration Department and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department
  • The concerned Department takes prompt action on receipt of copies of the bills, resolutions, motions, questions, call attention notices and other business to be brought before the Assembly
  • Whenever there is doubt as to the correct allocation of the business of the Assembly amongst the departments, the Assembly Secretariat may refer the matter to the Chief Secretary for appropriate decision
  • In case a bill, resolution, motion, question, call attention notice or any other communication has wrongly been addressed to a department by the Assembly Secretariat, the department after receiving it, in consultation with the Chief Secretary if necessary, promptly transfers it to the concerned department under intimation to the Assembly Secretariat and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department

Resolutions and Motions

The procedure for resolutions and motions is as follows:

  • When an official resolution or motion is to be moved in the Assembly, the concerned department forwards it together with a formal notice duly signed by the Minister to Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department for taking it to the Assembly
  • On receipt of a non-official resolution or motion from the Assembly Secretariat, the department concerned examines it and obtains orders of the Cabinet, if time permits
  • In examining the resolution or the motion, the concerned department examines whether discussion of the resolution or motion, or any part of the same, would be detrimental to the public interest. If so, it should point this out, with reasons, in its comments on the resolution or the motion, as the case may be
  • The concerned department prepares a brief regarding each resolution or motion, official or non-official, for the use of the Minister or the Parliamentary Secretary
  • On receipt of a resolution passed by the Assembly, the department concerned immediately takes appropriate necessary action and, within three months from the date of the receipt of the resolution, apprises the Assembly Secretariat of the action taken on the resolution

Budgets

The budget propositions and proposals are presented as:

  • The Finance Department forwards proposals regarding the date for the presentation of the annual and the supplementary budgets to Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department which obtains orders of the Governor and communicates such orders to the Secretary of the Assembly for appropriate action in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab 1997
  • On receipt of a motion proposing a cut in the demand (or supplementary demand) for grant of funds, the concerned Department examines the points raised in the motion, or any further points likely to be raised, and prepare a brief for the use of the Minister