By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Congress-led coalition ministry headed by Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma won the confidence motion on Monday, but with a precedent of not presenting the ministry in the House as pointed out by the Opposition member Clifford Marak (GNC).
While DD Lapang (Congress) was about to move the vote of confidence, raising a point of order, Marak quoted a relevant rule of the Assembly by saying that the motion cannot be moved since only the Chief Minister alone had assumed office and not his ministry.
According to Marak, if the motion is allowed to be taken up, this will create precedence as the motion clearly says that “This House now expresses its confidence in the present ministry headed by Dr Mukul Sangma, Chief Minister”.
According to Marak, there is no present ministry and it is yet to be formed as only the Chief Minister was sworn in and he is leading the Government alone.
“DD Lapang cannot move the motion unless the ministry is formed as the move will break the rule,” Marak said.
Donkupar Roy (UDP) also echoed the views of Marak and said that normally the vote of confidence is taken after the formation of the council of ministers.
“As of now there is no council of ministers and the mover of the motion should re-frame the motion omitting the ministry and only mentioning the Chief Minister,” Roy said.
However, the Dr Sangma justified the motion by saying that the Chief Minister represents the council of ministers. “Whether it is one person or more, the Government has already been formed,” Dr Sangma added.
Later, the motion was taken up and passed by voice vote.