In a First, Madhya Pradesh Assembly Sits on Sunday, Passes Budget After Marathon Weekend

The Madhya Pradesh Assembly met on a Sunday for the first time in its history, and used the weekend sittings to approve the state Budget, among other business. Sunday’s session in Bhopal followed a marathon sitting on Saturday that went on until 11 at night, and a Friday session that ran well past 9pm.

A non-stop weekend

On Saturday the House sat continuously for 12 hours, taking up Question Hour, Zero Hour, calling attention motions and government business without even stopping for lunch. The Business Advisory Committee decided to hold the weekend sittings because the House had not met on July 15 and 16, which were government holidays. MLAs of both the Congress and the BJP were quick to claim credit for the Sunday sitting.

Issues raised

When the House met on Sunday morning, Congress MLAs raised the detention of party leader Priyanka Gandhi as she travelled to meet families of those killed in the Sonbhadra shooting. During Zero Hour, former Speaker Dr Sitasaran Sharma raised the question of reservation in promotions, and BJP MLA Rameshwar Sharma demanded an end to sand storage within city limits.

Budget passed by voice vote

BJP members insisted on paying tribute to senior Congress leader Sheila Dikshit, who had died, before other business. Speaker NP Prajapati told them the Business Advisory Committee had decided earlier in the day to take this up on Monday. With the opposition unhappy, the Speaker went ahead and the Budget was passed by voice vote. The House continued until 10 pm on Sunday.

Background

In the 2018 Madhya Pradesh assembly election the Congress won 114 seats and the BJP 109, and Kamal Nath became Chief Minister.

See also: State assembly members | Congress

Originally published on 22 July 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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