BANGALORE: An official committee constituted by the Government to identify a district in North Karnataka where sessions of the State legislature can be held has said that Belgaum is ideal for the purpose, but some facilities have to be provided by the Government to hold the sessions.

Infrastructure

Additional Secretary to the Legislative Assembly S.B. Patil, who is a member of the committee, told presspersons here on Saturday that infrastructure in Belgaum was inadequate.

Some facilities such as public and press galleries were needed at the venue being considered for Legislative Council sessions. Apart from Mr. Patil, the committee has G. Dakshina Moorthy, Director, Karnataka Institute for Law and Parliamentary Reform; G.K. Bore Gowda, Secretary, Department of Parliamentary Affairs; and V. Shreesh, Additional Secretary, Legislative Council.

The members recently visited Belgaum and held a meeting with elected representatives and members of various organisations in connection with holding legislature sessions there.

The committee identified some buildings such as the Gandhi Bhavan and an auditorium of the Kannada and Culture Department for the Assembly to meet.

Auditoriums of J.N. Medical College and Visvesvaraya Technological University were found suitable for Council sessions. Suitable accommodation had to be found for Ministers, legislators and officials, he pointed out.

The Deputy Commissioner of Belgaum district was also in favour of legislature sessions being held in the district. Government land was available in Belgaum to construct a building for holding sessions every year. But only the Government could take a decision on the matter, Mr. Patil said.

Asked whether other districts were being considered, he said the committee was awaiting a report from the Deputy Commissioner of Gulbarga district.

After receiving it, the committee would submit a detailed report to the Government.

`No suitable venue'

The Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad district had informed the committee that there was no suitable venue for holding sessions in Dharwad, he said.

The State Government proposes to hold a 15-day winter session in North Karnataka.

In Maharashtra, legislature sessions are held in Mumbai and Nagpur.

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