Shillong, Feb. 18 -- Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Thomas Sangma on Tuesday barred an adjournment motion on the recent Mynsngat-Thangsko coal mine blast in East Jaintia Hills district, stating that the matter is sub-judice and pending before the court of law, and is not open for discussion on the floor of the House.
The Speaker's ruling followed after the opposition Voice of the People Party (VPP) legislator Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit argued that the term sub judice is repeatedly used by the executive to avoid debate.
"As a legislature, we have freedom of speech within the house and the power to discuss matters of public importance. Even the courts themselves have repeatedly held that legislative discussion is not barred merely because the ca...