Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani Takes Pending Questions Seriously, Calls Meeting of Senior Secretaries in the New Year

Rajasthan Assembly Speaker **Vasudev Devnani** has taken a firm and serious stand on the issue of pending questions in the Legislative Assembly. To address the backlog of unanswered questions from both the previous and the current Assembly, Devnani has convened a meeting of **secretaries of all state departments on January 2 (Wednesday) at 11 a.m.** in the Assembly premises.

The objective of this meeting is to ensure the **mandatory disposal of all pending questions, proposals, assurances, and related matters of the 15th and 16th Rajasthan Legislative Assemblies** before the upcoming Budget Session. The meeting, to be chaired by the Speaker, will be attended by the **Chief Secretary**, all **Additional Chief Secretaries**, **Principal Secretaries**, and **Secretaries of various departments**. Heads of all departments have been instructed to attend the meeting personally with complete details of their pending questions.

The Assembly Secretariat has also requested the Chief Secretary to give special attention to the disposal of pending questions and ensure that all such matters are resolved without fail. Additionally, the Assembly has issued clear instructions to all departments to prioritize the settlement of pending questions, proposals, and assurances of both the 15th and 16th Assemblies before the Budget Session.

Speaker Devnani has maintained a strict approach toward pending questions since the beginning of his tenure, and the results have been notably positive. In the current Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, **responses have been received for approximately 91.5 percent of the total questions**, including those raised during the first three sessions. This significant achievement is attributed to the Speaker’s continuous reviews and regular meetings with officials, emphasizing the timely submission of replies.

The Rajasthan Legislative Assembly is the central platform of the democratic system, where public issues are presented before the government and administration through elected representatives. The **Question Hour** is considered the soul of democracy, as it enables direct scrutiny of government policies, schemes, and administrative functioning. Taking the prolonged pendency of questions seriously, Speaker Devnani has adopted a strict stance and made review meetings within the Assembly building an important mechanism to address the issue.

In previous sessions, it was observed that several departments failed to submit replies to questions within the stipulated timeframe. In many cases, questions remained pending even after the session concluded, while some replies were incomplete, unclear, or merely formal in nature. This limited the effectiveness of legislators and prevented accurate information from reaching the public. Calling this situation serious, the Speaker stated that keeping questions pending is not only against parliamentary traditions but also weakens public trust.

To resolve the issue of pending questions, a series of meetings have been held under the chairmanship of Speaker Devnani, involving senior officials from the Assembly Secretariat, Parliamentary Affairs Department, and various administrative departments. The primary aim of these meetings has been to review department-wise pending questions and set clear timelines for their disposal. Departments were instructed to present the updated status of their pending questions and explain the reasons for delays. This process created both moral and administrative pressure on departments to take their responsibility toward the Assembly seriously.

In earlier meetings, Speaker Devnani categorically stated that questions raised in the Assembly are not mere paperwork, but a reflection of public expectations. He directed officials to ensure that replies are **factual, clear, and comprehensive**, and made it clear that formal responses or repetition of outdated data would not be accepted. If collecting information requires additional time, the Assembly Secretariat must be informed in advance. He further emphasized that departments showing repeated negligence would be held accountable and, if required, asked to submit explanations before the Assembly.

Discussions were also held on making Question Hour more effective. Speaker Devnani said that Question Hour is the most powerful instrument of democracy and must not be allowed to weaken. For this, departments should develop a work culture of preparing potential answers even before the session begins, ensuring more meaningful and fact-based discussions in the House.

It was also decided that **e-Vidhan systems and digital tracking mechanisms** would be used for continuous monitoring of pending questions. Each department will be provided with real-time data on the number of pending questions and their deadlines, enhancing transparency and speeding up the response process.

Legislators have welcomed the Speaker’s strict approach and described it as a positive initiative. They stated that delays in responses prevent them from effectively raising constituency issues in the House. They expressed hope that these meetings and directives would lead to further improvements in administrative functioning and preserve the dignity of Question Hour.

The initiative taken by Speaker Vasudev Devnani to address pending questions is not merely an administrative reform, but a concrete step toward **good governance**. It strengthens accountability within departments and sends a clear message that neglect of the Legislative Assembly will not be tolerated at any level.

The strictness shown through continuous meetings reflects the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly’s commitment to its democratic responsibilities. Speaker Devnani’s efforts will not only strengthen the functioning of the House but also further reinforce public trust. **Timely, clear, and fact-based answers are the cornerstone of a vibrant democracy.**