As the Budget session of the Rajasthan Assembly approaches next month, a significant backlog of unanswered questions from previous sessions persists. During each session, MLAs ask questions according to their fixed quotas, but the timing of responses heavily depends on the officers’ efficiency.
Currently, answers to thousands of questions from the 15th Assembly remain unresolved. At the commencement of the 16th Assembly, nearly 4,800 questions from the 15th Assembly were still awaiting responses. While 75% of these questions have now been addressed, 25% remain pending. Moreover, there is a noticeable delay in answering questions from the first two sessions of the 16th Assembly, with around 40% still unanswered.
Speaker of the 16th Assembly, Vasudev Devnani, has been actively engaging with officers to ensure timely responses, but delays continue to affect the proceedings. MLAs raised over 10,000 questions across both sessions of the 16th Assembly, underlining the growing concern over bureaucratic delays in providing answers. Despite efforts, the delay in responding to questions continues to impact the legislative process.
Meanwhile, Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani has repeatedly talked to the officials and has asked them to answer the questions on time. Recently, before the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit, Devnani had asked the officials to answer the pending questions. On which the officials have asked for a few days. The officials said that they would answer the pending questions after the programs organised on Rising Rajasthan and the one-year tenure of the government. However, thousands of questions of the 16th Vidhan Sabha are still pending in most departments. When the new session begins, MLAs can ask a maximum of 100 questions, out of which 40 can be starred and 60 unstarred questions.
In this matter, Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani said that for the last few years, the executive has not been taking legislative work seriously. Negligence in legislative work by the executive will not be tolerated. He said that a meeting has been held with senior officials of the government in this regard. Now the officers have started answering the questions. He said that it will always be my endeavour that the MLAs get timely and accurate answers to their questions. Also, answers to the unanswered questions of the 15th Vidhan Sabha are coming now.
Tikaram Julie
At the same time, Leader of Opposition Tikaram Julie said that answers to questions should come on time. If the questions raised in the assembly are not answered on time, it insults the public. He said that ministers often give false answers or officers send wrong answers to questions, which weakens democracy.
The main purpose of legislators raising questions is that the public’s work is done on time. Officers should be accountable to the House and the public. Also, cases of corrupt officers should be exposed.
