Date:01/07/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/07/01/stories/2004070108140400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Hone debating skills, MLAs told

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, JUNE 30. Legislators were asked to hone their debating skills and ensure quality time during the Assembly sessions by speakers at a seminar on `practices and procedures of AP Legislative Assembly' organised by the Rajaji Institute on the Assembly premises on Wednesday.

V.S. Ramadevi, former Governor, and Subhash Kashyap, former secretary general of Parliament, reminded legislators that legislative bodies should be treated as temples of democracy and every minute spent in them should be useful to society.

Recalling the contribution of great parliamentarians, they said technicalities, rules and regulations should not be watertight provisions in conducting the business of the House.

Earlier, the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, asked the members to realise the onerous responsibilities cast on them by people.

K.R. Suresh Reddy, Speaker, presided, and the Finance Minister, K. Rosaiah, the chief whip, N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and the former secretary of the Legislature, E. Sadasiv Reddy, attended.

The Leader of the Opposition, N. Chandrababu Naidu, was conspicuous by his absence.