The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Focus on rules at House panel meet

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 04, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Focus on rules at House panel meet

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MARCH 3. The Assembly rulebook says that the House shall meet from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on all working days during the Assembly session.

But this practice gave way to `8.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.' schedule but the rule has not been altered in the book to the effect.

This was just one of the several issues that cropped up at the meeting of the General Purpose Committee of the Assembly on Thursday. The rule is proposed to be amended now.

Concerned over the time lost in scoring points by the political parties during the Assembly session, the committee discussed the value addition made by the political parties to enhance the quality of debate.

Plea to Speaker

It is learnt that all parties including the ruling Congress complained to the Speaker, K.R. Suresh Reddy, that their members were being deprived of the legitimate right to speak. The Committee reportedly preferred strict adherence to the BAC decisions but not a discussion on these in the House that serve no purpose.

A majority of the members (the Committee consists floor leaders, panel speakers and chairpersons of all Assembly Committees) felt that the agreement on strength-based distribution of time was not being honoured. The Speaker reportedly was requested to enforce the BAC decision.

Live coverage of the Assembly proceedings is said to have come up for discussions once again but no conclusive decision was taken. A suggestion was made for extending the facility to anyone willing to provide non-stop live telecast.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh