The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Privileges Committee submits its report to council chairman

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Sunday, Aug 19, 2007
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Karnataka - Bangalore

Privileges Committee submits its report to council chairman

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Privileges Committee of the Legislative Council submitted its 55th report to the council’s Chairman B.K. Chandrashekhar here on Saturday.

Speaking to presspersons after submitting the report, the nine-member Committee Chairman K.C. Kondaiah of the Congress said the committee looked into various aspects of a privilege notice issued by S.R. Patil against the tahsildar of Bilagi taluk in Bagalkot district in April 2007 and obliged to dismiss it on strong grounds.

Mr. Kondaiah said that Mr. Patil, in his notice, had alleged that the tahsildar in question did not comply with some of the guidelines given by him as member of the Upper House in carrying out relief work for the victims of famine effectively.

He had complained that the tahsildar had convened a meeting to discuss the relief measures, including cash compensation, to be taken for helping famine victims of the taluk on February 17.

‘Concocted minutes’

Although he cancelled the meeting under some pretext, he managed to obtain the signatures of those concerned and submitted the “concocted minutes” of the meeting to the Government.

After conducting an inquiry into the issue and ascertaining the facts, the committee had found itself in the dock as it could not find fault with the tahsildar as the procedural formalities comply with what the official records had noted and not the hearsay.

Following this, the committee had recommended some suggestions in the larger interest, he said.

Replying to questions, Mr. Kondaiah admitted that despite its observations the committee could not exercise its powers in the public interest as it had many limitations.

On the question of accountability, Mr. Kondaiah said that there should be some accountability on the part of the members before they issue privilege notices.

Munivenkata Reddy, member of the committee, and the Principal Secretary, Karnataka Legislature, D’Souza Robinson, were present.

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