Mumbai: A gathering of current and former members of the Maharashtra Legislative Council is scheduled for Wednesday, November 8, to commemorate the centenary of the house, announced Dr. Neelam Gorhe, Deputy Chairperson of the council.
On that day, two seminars will also be organised, discussing the necessity and significance of the upper house and featuring memoirs of notable members of the legislative council, Dr. Gorhe added. The event will commence at 11:30 am on Wednesday.
Centenary event
In alignment with constitutional reforms introduced through the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms Act, the inaugural meeting of the 'Bombay Legislative Council' convened at the Town Hall in Mumbai on February 19, 2021, under the chairmanship of Sir Narayan Ganesh Chandawarkar. Prior to that, from 1862 to 1920, the Council operated under the governance of the Governor of Bombay. In 1921, the Council appointed its first Indian Chairperson, marking 1921 as the founding year of the Maharashtra Legislative Council. Originally planned for celebration in 2021, the centenary of the house was postponed due to the COVID-19 situation and is now being observed, Dr. Gorhe explained.
A committee comprising current members of the house, chaired by Dr. Gorhe, convened last month and resolved to hold the centenary event on November 8. The function will be attended by the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Ministers, leaders of opposition from both houses, and other distinguished guests, Dr. Gorhe mentioned.
Invitations have been extended to all esteemed past members of the house for the event. Additionally, as part of the centenary celebrations, five publications are planned, including a coffee-table book featuring photographs of the house, 100 memorable speeches, important bills and resolutions from the past 100 years, significant debates from the past century, and an exploration of the upper house's significance, Dr. Gorhe concluded.
