BJP to boycott rest of session

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, MAY 2. The State Election Commission's announcement of dates for zilla and taluk panchayat elections is likely to result in the adjournment of the current Budget session of the Legislature two days before the scheduled end.

The BJP members walked out of the Assembly today deciding to boycott the rest of the session as the Government did not heed their demand for adjourning the session in view of the announcement of election dates.

Though the Government first took the stand that the session should go on as scheduled and the Budget should be adopted, it later made a climbdown. The Chief Minister, Mr. S. M. Krishna, stated that the House could be adjourned on Wednesday after the ministers replied to the discussion on the demands for grants of eight departments. He said the session could be resumed next month.

But the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Jagadish Shettar, rejected the Government's offer and insisted that the session should be adjourned today itself. He told presspersons that even if the Government confined its reply to the eight departments, it would secure it much publicity and an unfair advantage in the elections.

The Chief Minister's announcement came after the BJP members had walked out. The Speaker, Mr. M. V. Venkatappa, had adjourned the House for sometime on the request of the leader of the Janata Dal (United) group, Mr. P.G.R. Sindhia, that he would discuss the offer with the BJP members.

The Election Commission for Panchayats announced on April 29 that the second phase of panchayat elections would be held on June 2 and 6 .The two Houses of the Legislature are scheduled to adjourn sine die on May 5.

The BJP decision followed prolonged but futile discussions with the Government on ending or going ahead with the session. It was the contention of the Opposition members that the election code of conduct had already come into force (from April 29) and continuation of the session would provide an edge to the ruling party in the elections as it might use the session to make various announcements. Though the other Opposition groups, the JD (U) and the JD(S), too demanded closure of the session, they are yet to decide for or against participating in the session. It was the unanimous stand of the Opposition that as voting on the Vote on Account had already taken place, there was no urgency for adopting the Budget.

After the House met after the first adjournment of the day, which lasted three hours, Mr. Shettar said that even if the session lasted till May 5, it could not discuss the demands for grants for all the 58 departments. He contended that the election code of conduct had come into force from April 29 when the dates for the elections were announced and not from May 10 when the notification for the elections would be issued. However, he conceded that the code of conduct could not deprive the House of its supremacy under the Constitution to hold its sessions.He suggested that the House could be adjourned today and the session resumed after the elections were completed. It could meet on June 12.

Mr. C. Byre Gowda (JD-U) said continuation of the session would give an undue advantage to the Government. Elections should be held on a level playing field.

It was Mr. Sadananda Gowda (BJP) who was the first to maintain that the election code of conduct had already come into force on April 29. Countering the Opposition, the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr. D. B. Chandre Gowda, noted that it was the entire House which had decided to hold the session till May 5. The session had been called to discuss and vote on the Budget and it should conclude only after the Appropriation Bill was adopted. It was not enough if the Vote on Account was adopted. The Budget had to be passed as the Government had to go ahead with its programmes. Mr. Chandre Gowda said that the supremacy of the House had not been affected by the election code of conduct. It would be a bad precedent to adjourn the House. In future the Opposition might demand adjournment of the Legislature in case elections to municipalities or even agricultural produce marketing committees were announced.

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Section  : Regional
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