Haryana Speaker Harvinder Kalyan seeks reply from Hooda over Congress 'parallel session'
Synopsis
Haryana's Assembly Speaker has formally put Opposition Leader Bhupinder Hooda on notice after Congress lawmakers held a 'parallel session' outside the House, boycotting a special session on the Women's Reservation Bill. The Speaker's letter — demanding constitutional justification — signals a sharp procedural escalation in the BJP-Congress standoff in Haryana.
Key Takeaways
Haryana Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan wrote to Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Hooda on 29 April 2025 seeking clarification on the Congress 'parallel session'.
The Assembly secretariat also sought a reply from the Chief Secretary on the matter.
Congress lawmakers boycotted the special session held on 27 April , calling it unconstitutional and organising a parallel session outside the House.
The boycott was decided at a legislative party meeting presided over by Hooda , who argued women's reservation falls under Central government jurisdiction.
The special session was convened by the Nayab Singh Saini -led BJP government to pass a resolution supporting the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women's Reservation Bill, 2023).
Haryana Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan on Tuesday, 29 April 2025, wrote a formal letter to Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Hooda seeking clarification on the Congress lawmakers' gathering inside the Assembly premises under the pretext of a 'parallel session', taking serious note of the incident as a breach of parliamentary traditions. The Assembly secretariat simultaneously sought a reply from the Chief Secretary on the matter.
What the Speaker's Letter Said
The Speaker stated that the act "not only appears to be contrary to parliamentary traditions but also casts a shadow of doubt upon the dignity of the Legislative Assembly and its established procedures and rules." Kalyan asked Hooda to specify under which rules or parliamentary practices he undertook what the letter termed an "unwarranted activity."
The letter further asked Hooda to cite the constitutional or procedural grounds on which he declared the special session of the Legislative Assembly — held on 27 April — and its proceedings to be unconstitutional. A detailed response was also sought regarding the basis for labelling the government resolution in support of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women's Reservation Bill) as unconstitutional.
The Speaker emphasised that the Assembly's proceedings were conducted in strict conformity with the Constitution, the rules of procedure, and established parliamentary traditions, and warned that any parallel or misleading activity could undermine the dignity of democratic institutions.
Why Congress Boycotted the Special Session
Congress lawmakers on Monday refused to participate in the special session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, arguing that the Assembly lacked the power to legislate on delimitation and women's reservation. The party boycotted the session convened by the Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini-led government and instead organised a parallel session outside the House in Chandigarh.
The decision to boycott was taken unanimously at a legislative party meeting presided over by Hooda. The Congress lawmakers demanded that the Women's Reservation Bill, passed in 2023, be implemented immediately, arguing that the issue of women's reservation falls under the jurisdiction of the Central government and not the state government.
Congress Calls Session 'Unconstitutional'
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government's decision to convene the special session drew sharp criticism from Congress MLAs, who asserted that the government was "making a mockery of constitutional institutions." They maintained that the state legislature had no authority to pass resolutions or legislation on a subject that falls squarely within Parliament's domain.
Notably, the Congress's parallel session on the Assembly premises itself has now drawn a formal procedural challenge, with the Speaker's letter marking a significant escalation in the standoff between the ruling BJP and the principal opposition party in Haryana.
What Happens Next
Hooda is expected to submit a formal reply to the Speaker's letter. The Assembly secretariat's simultaneous query to the Chief Secretary suggests the matter could have administrative and procedural consequences beyond a political exchange. Whether the Speaker's office takes further action — including a potential privilege motion — will depend on the nature of Hooda's response.
Point of View
The BJP-aligned Assembly establishment is attempting to shift the narrative from the government's controversial special session to the Congress's conduct inside the premises. What mainstream coverage underplays is the underlying contradiction: Congress demanded immediate implementation of a central law while simultaneously using the state Assembly premises to make that demand — a position that invites exactly the kind of procedural scrutiny Kalyan is now applying. If a privilege motion follows, it could tie up the Opposition in institutional proceedings ahead of what promises to be a combative budget session.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Haryana Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan write to Bhupinder Hooda?
Speaker Harvinder Kalyan wrote to Opposition Leader Bhupinder Hooda seeking clarification on why Congress lawmakers held a 'parallel session' inside the Assembly premises on 27 April 2025, calling the act contrary to parliamentary traditions and potentially damaging to the dignity of the Legislature.
Why did Congress boycott the Haryana special session on 27 April 2025?
Congress boycotted the special session convened by the Nayab Singh Saini-led BJP government, arguing that the Assembly lacked the constitutional authority to legislate on women's reservation or delimitation, which they said falls under the Central government's jurisdiction. The party also demanded immediate implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill passed in 2023.
What is the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam referred to in the Haryana session?
The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam is the Women's Reservation Bill passed by Parliament in 2023, which reserves 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women. The Haryana government moved a resolution in support of the Act during the special session, which Congress called unconstitutional at the state level.
What action could the Haryana Assembly Speaker take against Congress MLAs?
The Speaker could initiate privilege proceedings against the Congress lawmakers if their conduct is found to violate parliamentary rules or the dignity of the House. The outcome will depend on Hooda's formal response to the Speaker's letter and the Assembly secretariat's inquiry to the Chief Secretary.
Who presided over the Congress parallel session in Chandigarh?
Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Hooda presided over the Congress legislative party meeting that unanimously decided to boycott the special session and hold a parallel gathering outside the Haryana Vidhan Sabha premises in Chandigarh.
