BENGALURU: ONLY 10 per cent of the legislators were present when the winter session started at Belagavi’s Suvarna Soudha on Monday.With the “Karnataka Vikasa Yatra’ of HD Kumaraswamy and ‘Parivartana Yatra’ of BS Yeddyurappa set to traverse through Belagavi over the next six days, the situation is not likely to change much in terms of absentee MLAs.
Some members said that they were late by just a few minutes and it was a rarity to see the Speaker entering the House immediately after the quorum bell rang.
Later, sources in the government said that following directions of the Governor, the Speaker had decided to start the session on time.The same was confirmed by sources in the legislature secretariat.
The session that resumed 15 minutes later adjourned after paying tributes to 14 recently deceased eminent personalities.
As per legislative procedures and rules, the respective political party whips in the assembly and the council must ensure sufficient quorum.Accordingly, the quorum bell should continue to ring until the required number of members to conduct the proceedings are present.
In remembrance
Members of Karnataka Legislative Assembly condoled the deaths of many eminent personalities. Among them was former chief minister N Dharam Singh. The Legilsative Council mourned the deaths of scientist Prof U R Rao, freedom fighter Vidyadhar Guruji, Congress minister Qamar-ul Islam, Yakshagana artiste Chittani Ramachandra Hegde and theatre personality Enagi Balappa among others. However, the name of slain journalist Gauri Lankesh was not mentioned and this was raised with the chair by Minister U T Khadar. To this, the chairman said only a few have been mentioned in the list.
It was Ugrappa Vs Chair
Belagavi: Congress member Ugrappa squabbled with Council Chairman D H Shankaramurthy on Monday for not allowing him to raise a point of order. While he argued that it was his right to do so, Shankaramurthy made it clear that it was the prerogative of the Chair whether to allow the member to raise it or not. While Opposition leader K S Eshwarappa was speaking on an adjournment motion moved by him, Ugrappa wanted to raise the point of order. Shankaramurthy’s ruling that he will allow him to speak only after Eshwarappa angered Ugrappa. The Health Minister requested the Chair to allow Ugrappa to raise the point of order. But Ugrappa continued to speak even after the chair asked him to sit down. As he went on, Shankaramurthy warned him against challenging the Chair and said not to force him to act harshly.