BENGALURU: The 15-day legislature session that concluded on Friday witnessed proceedings for 78 hours and 25 minutes. It also saw over 92 per cent attendance of MLAs on average, which is a good start, said Speaker UT Khader here on Friday. After the session concluded, he said the Speaker’s chair received 1,149 questions, most of which were answered. The MLAs discussed 16 issues during the zero hour.
Khader said they had organised an educational platform, where officials briefed legislators on new bills being introduced. In all, 14 bills were passed. To inculcate punctuality among MLAs, Khader said he used to read out the names of those who came on time to the House to encourage them.
Khader said if the 10 suspended BJP MLAs had written to him seeking to reduce their days of suspension, the House had the power to take it up. “I did not suspend all those staging a dharna, but only those who threw papers at the Speaker’s chair. I did it with pain, but their actions were a black mark on the Assembly,” the Speaker added.
“They had sought time to discuss the issue of the government deputing IAS officers for the opposition parties’ conclave. I agreed, but they still sat on dharna,” he said.
On attending a dinner hosted by the chief minister, he said, “Siddaramaiah had hosted it for state VIPs and he invited me. I did not take part in any discussion or meeting. I did not cross my limits.”
The Assembly session ended on a bad note as BJP and JDS MLAs boycotted the session on Thursday and Friday over Khader suspending BJP MLAs. JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy too walked out, showing solidarity with the suspended legislators. The opposition benches were empty except for Gali Janardhana Reddy of Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha.