The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Congress objects to Thippanna officiating as Chairman of Legislative Council

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 26, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Congress objects to Thippanna officiating as Chairman of Legislative Council

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Legislative Council was adjourned within minutes of assembling after the Governor's address to the joint session of the legislature when the Congress objected to N. Thippanna officiating as Chairman.

As soon as the House met, and Mr. Thippanna occupied the Chairman's seat, Leader of the Opposition H.K. Patil raised objection saying that the House was not in order. The Congress members joined him in saying that nominating Mr. Thippanna to officiate in place of Sachidanand Khot, acting Chairman, had not been done in the appropriate manner.

Leader of the House and Higher Education Minister D.H. Shankaramurthy made several attempts to explain the situation, but could not be heard in the noisy exchanges, and Mr. Thippanna adjourned the House.

State's stand

Later, Mr. Shankaramurthy explained to presspersons that the Government had followed the rules in nominating Mr. Thippanna as Chairman, choosing from the Chairman's panel (members who will act as presiding officers when the occasion demands it).

Mr. Shankaramurthy said the Congress was deliberately picking on non-issues, and preventing the Government from explaining the facts.

He said Mr. Khot had written a letter on January 23 saying that he was in hospital following an accident, and during his absence, he had nominated Mr. Thippanna to officiate as Chairman. This announcement was to be made when the House met, but the Opposition members never allowed that to happen.

Meanwhile, speaking to presspersons, Mr. Patil argued that when the House was prorogued after the special session in Belgaum concluded, the panel also ceased to exist, and a new panel had to be created.

The Congress leaders had, in fact, met the Governor on Wednesday with a memorandum questioning this decision.

Mr. Patil also maintained that the nomination of Mr. Thippanna ought to have been conveyed to the House through a bulletin, and not when the House met.

Another point made by Mr. Patil was on the election of a new Chairman. Mr. Khot was made Chairman in June 2006, when the then Chairman, V.R. Sudarshan, resigned on his term coming to an end.

Though he was re-elected, Mr. Sudarshan (Congress) chose not to accept the post, and Mr. Khot continued to be Chairman.

Mr. Patil's contention was that a new Chairman should have been elected in the very next session.

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