Stringent security measures will be implemented during upcoming winter session from Dec 19 to 23: Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania

Dharamsala, December 4, 2023: Addressing a press conference on Monday, at the Tapovan Assembly building in Dharamsala, Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania assured that stringent security measures will be implemented during the upcoming winter session scheduled from December 19 to December 23. 

CCTV and drone cameras will be employed for monitoring, and guidelines have been issued to ensure the security of the Legislative Assembly building and premises. Security will be as robust as in previous sessions, with strict protocols in place.

Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania mentioned that the fourth session of the fourteenth Legislative Assembly of Himachal Pradesh will commence on December 19, 2023, at 11 am. The session will consist of a total of 5 meetings, with one scheduled for Saturday, December 23. December 21, 2023, has been designated as Non-Official Members' Working Day. The session notification was issued on November 29, 2023, initiating the process of gathering questions from members.

He said that to facilitate the stay of participating members from both the ruling party and the opposition during the winter session, the district administration will make suitable arrangements. The Tapovan Legislative Assembly building and premises will be adorned with artificial milky light, enhancing the overall ambiance.

Deputy Commissioner Kangra, Superintendent of Police Kangra, and officials from other departments have been instructed to complete all preparations related to the session on time, ensuring smooth proceedings without interruptions.

The tradition of conducting the winter session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly in Dharamsala has been maintained every year. This involves the entire government, including the Chief Minister, ministers, MLAs, bureaucrats, and other officials moving from Shimla to Dharamsala. This practice was initiated by the then Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in 1994 when he introduced a winter sojourn, during which the government machinery would spend time in various parts of Kangra, Chamba, and Hamirpur. In 2004, a full-fledged Vidhan Sabha session was conducted in Dharamsala, establishing the trend of hosting the winter session in the picturesque town.