Assam Governor administers oath to Chandra Mohan Patowary as Pro-tem Speaker

Guwahati, May 15 (IANS) Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya on Friday administered the oath of office to senior BJP leader Chandra Mohan Patowary as the Pro-tem Speaker of the 16th Assam Legislative Assembly at a function held at Lok Bhavan in Guwahati.

Patowary was sworn in under Clause (1) of Article 180 of the Constitution of India during a ceremony organised at the conference hall of Lok Bhavan.

Before the commencement of the proceedings, Secretary of the Assam Legislative Assembly Dulal Pegu sought the Governor’s permission to initiate the programme.

Commissioner and Secretary to the Governor S.S. Meenakshi Sundaram, along with other senior officials of Lok Bhavan and the Assembly, were also present on the occasion.

As Pro-tem Speaker, Patowary will preside over the initial sittings of the newly constituted Assembly and administer oath to the newly elected members before the election of the full-time Speaker.

The assembly session will be held from May 21 and it will end on May 26. The budget session of the assembly is scheduled to happen in the first week of July.

Earlier on Thursday, Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya approved the allocation of portfolios to the newly inducted members of the Council of Ministers in the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government, according to an official communication issued from the Raj Bhavan.

As per the notification, senior BJP leader Rameswar Teli has been allocated the departments of Transformation and Development, Labour Welfare, and Tea Tribes and Adivasi Welfare.

The inclusion of Tea Tribes and Adivasi Welfare in Teli’s portfolio is being viewed as significant given the government’s continued focus on welfare initiatives for tea garden communities across Assam.

Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) president Atul Bora has been assigned the departments of Panchayat and Rural Development, Implementation of Assam Accord, Border Protection and Development, and Excise.

Political observers see Bora’s allocation as crucial, especially in view of the ongoing focus on safeguarding Assam’s border areas and implementing clauses of the historic Assam Accord.

Meanwhile, Bodoland People Front (BPF) leader Charan Boro has been entrusted with the Transport department along with Welfare of Bodoland.

The allocation is expected to strengthen developmental coordination in the Bodoland Territorial Region and improve transport infrastructure in the state.

Senior BJP leader Ajanta Neog has been given charge of Women and Child Development and Tourism departments.

Officials said the portfolios would play a key role in the government’s plans to expand tourism potential and strengthen social welfare programmes for women and children.

Along with Sarma, four Ministers were sworn into the new Council of Ministers. The expansion of cabinet will happen on first week of June as announced by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

–IANS

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