VIJAYAWADA: Expressing concern over the manner in which the Speakers of legislative assemblies are dealing with the cases of defections, Vice-President (V-P) M Venkaiah Naidu has said there is a need to dispose of such cases within a ‘specific time frame.’
Venkaiah Naidu also advocated amending the Anti-Defection Law by setting a specific time frame for disposing of defection cases. Referring to criminal and election-related cases against people’s representatives, he said tribunals and special courts should be set up to deal and dispose of all such cases within a year.
“Priority should be accorded to cases in which politicians are facing allegations. The cases involving them should be disposed of within a year,” the V-P said.
In an informal chat with media persons here on Wednesday, Venkaiah Naidu observed that the political parties were making “strange” promises ahead of the elections without realising whether they could be implemented or not.
Suggesting that political parties should first analyse the financial situation of the State, debts, income generated from taxes and the funds required to fulfil the pre-poll promises, Naidu said that ‘All-free’ promises being made by political parties was not good for democracy.
“They should first think how they will mobilise the required resources to fulfil the promises. This applies to national parties as well as the regional parties,” the V-P added.
“After election, the political parties claim they did not promise to waive everything at one go and that they would do it in a phased manner,” he observed.