PR Bill defeated in Council

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, MARCH 24. The Karnataka Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2000 was today defeated in the Legislative Council amidst attempts by the Opposition to refer it to a select committee, which failed when the Chairman rejected their notices. The Congress (I) is not in a majority in the Upper House.

The Bill, which has been passed by the Legislative Assembly, was moved in the Council on Thursday and was introduced by the Minister for Rural Development and Panchayatraj, Mr. M. Y. Ghorpade, on Friday. Mr. M. C. Naniah (unattached member) sent a notice for referring the Bill to a select committee. The notice contained the names of only the Opposition members.

The Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr. D. B. Chandre Gowda, objected to the notice, saying that it was not in order, as it did contain the names of the Minister who was tabling the Bill and the Law Minister. Moreover, they were not giving their consent to it. The BJP leader, Dr. M. R. Tanga, contended that the Chairman should put the notice to vote. After referring to the rules, the Chairman, Mr. D. B. Kalmankar, rejected it saying that it was not in order. This led to vociferous protests, and the entire Opposition staged a dharna. The Chairman adjourned the House.

When members reassembled, the Opposition sent another notice. All those who were in the well of the House rushed back to their seats. The Chairman announced that it could be taken up only after the Bill was taken up for consideration and asked Mr. Ghorpade to move it. But the Opposition demanded to know the fate of their notice and the Chairman replied that it too had been rejected. He maintained that no identical notice could be considered in the same session.

The Bill was put to vote and while the ruling members raised their hands supporting it, the strong Opposition, comprising members from the Janata Dal(S), the Janata Dal (U) and the BJP opposed it. The Chairman declared that the Bill had been rejected and left the House, even while the Opposition members were demanding a division.

Enraged by this, Mr. Ramachandra Gowda (BJP) and Mr. D. L. Jagadish (JD-S) tore the rule books and threw them in the House protesting against the Chairman for not counting the votes. After a while, the Chairman returned to the House to announce the adjournment of the House till 2 p.m on Monday.

The Opposition leaders such as Mr. Nanaiah, Dr. Tanga and Mr. Basavaraj Bommai, who talked to presspersons, condemned the way in which the entire proceedings had been conducted. They expressed displeasure over the Chairman's refusal to count votes which went in their favour.

Dr. Tanga said that the Government had committed irregularities such as cancelling election to three village panchayats in Hagaribommana Halli in Bellary District, while the election process was on. What would happen, if the deputy commissioners were empowered to conduct the election of presidents and vice- presidents, circumventing the commission, he wondered.

Mr. D. B. Chandre Gowda alleged that the Opposition members had insulted the Council Chairman by their behaviour and by tearing the rule book. Both the notices sent by the Opposition were defective and the Chair had rightly rejected them, he added.

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Section  : Regional
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