Lucknow, April 23
A decision on making obituary references to slain gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf in the next session of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly will be taken up by the Business Advisory committee of the House, Speaker Satish Mahana has said.
Obituary references are traditionally made to deceased members on the opening day of every session of the House. However, ex-MLA and former MP Atiq Ahmad was also convicted in a kidnapping case.
The two Houses of the state legislature will meet for the Monsoon session, though no dates have yet been decided for it.
Atiq Ahmad served as five-time MLA from Allahabad West Assembly constituency and once as Lok Sabha member from Phulpur from 2004 to 2009. Atiq was an Independent MLA from Allahabad West thrice. In 1996, he got elected on a SP ticket, while in 2002, he retained the seat on an Apna Dal ticket.
His brother Khalid Azim, alias Ashraf, became the MLA from the same seat in 2005 on a SP ticket, following the death of the incumbent MLA Raju Pal (of BSP).
Atiq (60) and his brother Ashraf were shot dead by three men posing as journalists in Prayagraj on April 15 while police personnel were escorting them to a medical college for a check-up.
Asked if obituary references will be made to Atiq and his brother Ashraf, Mahana said the matter will be decided by the Business Advisory Committee of the House. The Committee is headed by the Speaker.
Constitutional expert and former secretary general of Lok Sabha Subhash C Kashyap, said it is the Speaker who has to decide on this issue.
Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly sources said such an “instance” has never come up before them.
Without making any categorical reference to Atiq Ahmad and Ashraf, a former senior legislator of Uttar Pradesh, on condition of anonymity said, “An obituary reference, which is made to members of the House who have passed away, is part of parliamentary tradition. It is neither mentioned in the Constitution nor in any law. It is purely done as part of parliamentary traditions and conventions.”
When asked if there is any provision that the House (Parliament or Legislative Assembly) makes an obituary reference to a former member convicted by a court of law, former secretary general of Lok Sabha Snehlata Shrivastava told PTI, “For ex-MPs and MPs, if there is information about anyone’s death from district authorities or family members, an obituary reference is made in the House, when in session or in next session.”
“I have not come across such a case. (There are) no specific rules regarding obituary references,” she said.
On March 28, an MP-MLA court in Prayagraj held Atiq Ahmad and two others guilty in the 2006 Umesh Pal kidnapping case and sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment for life.
