Mizoram Assembly passes Youth Commission Bill amidst Opposition walkout

Mizoram, March 3: Tensions ran high in the Mizoram Assembly on Monday as the opposition staged a walkout, rejecting The Mizoram Youth Commission (MYC) Bill, 2025. The dramatic protest unfolded as the budget session resumed following a nine-day recess.

The protest, led by Opposition Leader Lalchhandama Ralte, was sparked by remarks from Chief Minister Lalduhoma, which the opposition claimed “insulted former legislators and members of the House."

The bill, introduced by Labour, Employment, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (LESDE) Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar, aims to strengthen and enhance the Mizoram Youth Commission (MYC) with a more transparent and structured framework.

However, Chief Minister’s Lalduhoma’s criticism of the previous MYC Act, enacted under the Mizo National Front (MNF) government, fuelled tensions. He argued that the earlier legislation lacked clear rules for employee recruitment and failed to mandate financial audits, allowing unrestricted expenditure. He described it as a flawed system with questionable intent.

Opposition Leader Ralte objected, asserting that Lalduhoma had been present when the previous bill was passed and that his statements undermined the dignity of the House. Congress MLA C. Ngunlianchunga also criticised Lalduhoma, questioning the rationale behind repealing the existing law when 70% of its provisions remained unchanged in the new bill.

Defending the amendments, Lalduhoma said that his administration was committed to rectifying outdated laws and improving governance, unlike previous governments that remained passive for 16 years. He condemned policies that allowed unchecked recruitment and expenditure, emphasising the need for regulatory oversight.

Following these exchanges, Ralte declared that his party could not support the bill due to Lalduhoma’s remarks against past leaders and staged the walkout.

Despite their absence, the Assembly successfully passed three bills on Monday. The Mizoram Goods and Services Tax (First Amendment) Bill, 2025, introduced by Lalduhoma, was passed without debate. The Mizoram Youth Commission Bill, 2025, introduced by LESDE Minister Hmar, was also approved. However, the Mizoram Private Placement Agencies (Regulation) Bill, 2025, was passed without the support of the opposition, as they had already exited the House in protest.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Lalduhoma addressed the House, announcing that the state government no longer holds records of proxy employees in various departments.

He said that all employees previously using proxies had been given a grace period to return to their posts. “If any proxies are found now, both the concerned employee and the supervising officer will face strict consequences,” Lalduhoma warned, asserting that sufficient time had been given for compliance.

He also highlighted the formation of a Service Review Committee, which plans to introduce a voluntary retirement scheme for employees unable to continue their duties. “Our goal is to ensure that those who can no longer work retire with dignity,” he said.