BENGALURU: Cutting across party lines, members of the legislative Council on Wednesday took exception to MLC Bhimrao Patil not getting an office in his constituency of Bidar even after 4.5 years of his election.
Chairman Basavaraj Horatti directed Leader of the House and Minister NS Boseraju to ensure that Bidar deputy commissioner Shilpa Sharma be present in his office by Thursday morning with an explanation.
As the session began, MLC Puttanna brought the matter to the notice of Horatti. Puttanna said the Bidar DC has not taken any action to provide an office to Patil. “You (Chairman) wrote to the Bidar DC to provide an office to Patil in September 2023. The Privileges Committee held a meeting in Bidar and recommended that an office be provided to Patil. But Patil is yet to get his office,” Putanna said.
“The rights of Council members are being violated. Incidents of disrespecting MLCs have now become common,” he said. As the custodian of the rights of Council members, the Chairman should summon the DC to the House. Action should be initiated against the DC for ‘disrespecting’ the MLC, he said.
Congress MLCs Ivan D’Souza, Thippanna Kamaknoor, Ramesh Babu and BJP MLC Sunil Vallyapure supported Puttanna and demanded that the Chairman use his discretionary powers and take strict action. Chief whip Saleem Ahmed said it is an insult to the House and sought immediate action. MLCs SL Bhoje Gowda and Nagaraj Yadav too voiced their concern over the matter.
Boseraju said that he will initiate action against the DC through Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh.