Kolkata, Nov 13 (IANS) No special treatment will be extended to the former West Bengal Education Minister and ex-Trinamool Congress Secretary General Partha Chatterjee, which he was habituated to before, in case he attends the forthcoming Winter Session of the Assembly scheduled later this month.

First of all, the new seat that will be allotted to him on the floor of the House will neither be in the Treasury Benches nor in the Opposition Benches.

Insiders from the state Assembly said that since Trinamool Congress had already suspended him from the party after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the school-job case in July 2022, he will now be treated as an independent legislator.

Hence, he will be allotted a seat at a place between the Treasury Bench and the Opposition Bench.

At the same time, he will also not be allowed a separate room like the one that was allotted to him within the Assembly premises as the state education minister.

“He is no more a minister. So he will not be allotted a separate room within the Assembly premises. He will attend the session like any other MLA and will get all the facilities like them. His new seat will be decided before the Winter Session,” confirmed the Speaker of the House, Biman Bandopadhyay.

He also assured that in case Chatterjee would like to participate in a debate on the floor of the House during the session, he will be allotted time to present his views as per rule.

“Chatterjee was removed from the state Cabinet. But he was not expelled from the Assembly. So he has the right to attend any session of the Assembly. He is a veteran legislator. If he wants to speak, time will be allotted to him to present his views as per the Assembly rules,” the Speaker said.

Chatterjee had already claimed that he would participate in the Winter Session of the Assembly, and if possible, will also participate in debates on the floor of the House.

–IANS

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