Haryana, Punjab MLAs create history by jointly attending assembly session after 5 decades :

1. Haryana and Punjab MLAs jointly convened for a special assembly session for the first time after the creation of Haryana in 196

2. In a historic first, Punjab and Haryana MLAs came together for a special assembly session in Chandigarh on November 6, 2019 to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

3. The MLAs from both states sat together for an assembly session for the first time since 1966, when Haryana was carved out of Punjab. The Haryana legislators attended the special session at the invitation of the Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana K P Singh.  

4. The two states hold their respective assemblies in the same complex. The Haryana MLAs attended the Punjab Assembly after the culmination of their own 3-day assembly session.

5. The Haryana MLAs were welcomed at the Punjab assembly with a lot of warmth. All MLAs warmly greeted and welcomed each other. Gurbani was played as the Haryana MLAs were entering the Punjab Assembly premises. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu attended the special session along with former PM Manmohan Singh, Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore, Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh and Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar.

6. Punjab Speaker Rana K P Singh, in his assembly address, said that it was a good fortune to celebrate the occasion of Guru Nanak Dev’s 550th birth anniversary together. He briefly touched upon the life of the late Sikh Guru and his teachings and expressed hope that the inauguration of the Kartarpur corridor would pave way for better bilateral ties between India and Pakistan.

7. Punjab CM Amarinder Singh called upon to work for the protection of nature, to save the future generations from devastating effects of environmental pollution. He also recalled a verse from Guru Nanak’s teachings to highlight the essential bond between humans and nature. Further, referring to the joint special assembly between the Punjab and Haryana legislators, the Punjab CM stated that the love that was seen between the members during the assembly should be continued forever.

Haryana assembly - Background :

1. The Haryana Assembly was founded in 1966, after the state of Haryana was created from a part of Punjab. Haryana was created as an independent state on November 1, 1966 through Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966.

2. The Haryana assembly initially comprised a total of 54 seats, among which 10 were reserved for SCs. The total number of seats in the assembly was increased to 81 in March 1967 and then to 90 in 1977. The total number of reserved seats included 17.The Janata Party had won the maximum number of seats (75) in the assembly during the 1977 state elections.

3. The 2019 Haryana assembly elections were conducted to form the 14th Vidhan Sabha. The BJP staked claim to form government in the state with the support of a newly-formed party Jannayak Janta Party under Dushyant Chautala. The JJP has emerged from a split in the Indian National Lok Dal.