VIJAYAWADA: Though the AP Legislative Assembly on Monday passed a resolution seeking to abolish the Council, it will continue to transact business without any hindrance till both the Houses of Parliament pass a bill for the same and the President gives his assent to it.
According to higher officials of the AP Legislative Assembly, as per the rule position, the Council will stay till the President gives his assent to the AP Legislative Council Abolition Bill.
When will it happen is anybody’s guess given that BJP, which heads the government at the Centre, has not made its stance clear on the Assembly resolution.
It should be noted that several resolutions with regard to Council from different States are pending before Parliament since 2013. Though those resolutions are for creating Council, they are pending.
The BJP-led NDA government is yet to take a call on the recommendation by a Parliamentary Standing Committee to have a national policy on Legislative Councils.
Since it is expected that the issue might drag on for some time, the question is will the Council be convened next time.
When the same question was posed to officials, they replied the Legislative Assembly can be convened without Legislative Council, if the agenda is unique to the Assembly, like what happened on Monday.
"During other times, both the Houses have to be convened as usual in tune with laid down rules. If the Council is not convened and the business is conducted as usual, it will be against the Constitution," a higher official of the Assembly explained.
Though BJP is yet to respond on the development, its ally JSP said the scrapping of the Council was not right. JSP chief Pawan Kalyan said it was not an appropriate action.
It may take time
Several resolutions with regard to Council from different States are pending before Parliament since 2013
BJP has not made its stance clear on YSRC govt decision
Centre yet to take a call on recommendation by Parliamentary panel for a national policy on Councils
Pawan Kalyan slams government move
The JSP said the scrapping of the Council was not right. In a press release, JSP chief Pawan Kalyan opined that the abolition of the Legislative Council, which was restored by former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, was not appropriate. "It is against Constitutional spirit to remove systems which
are intended to safeguard democracy," he said.