Oppn ruckus costs state Rs1 crore a day

Opposition members disrupting the legislature, demanding the CM to step down. The declining number of days the house sits is also worrisome.

Oppn ruckus costs state Rs1 crore a day

Opposition members disrupting the legislature, demanding the CM to step down. The declining number of days the house sits is also worrisome.
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The Opposition seems to have taken upon itself that it won't allow smooth proceedings in the state Assembly.
The Congress, as well as JD(S) members did not allow governor H R Bharadwaj to deliver his speech at the joint session of the state legislature, while clamouring for Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa to step down.

Below par: While it is mandatory to have a session for at least 60 days a
year, the assembly sat for only 31 days in 2010. Pic/Satish Badiger

After reading out a few lines, he consulted K G Boppiah, speaker of the legislative assembly, and D H Shankaramurthy, chairman of the legislative council, before announcing he said he was laying the address and left the hall.

Opposition parties including the Congress and JD(S) have determined to move an adjournment today, while they have already issued notice to move a no confidence motion against the speaker alleging him of partiality when the house passed the vote of confidence in favour of the CM, last November.

"We will not settle for anything less than his resignation, followed by a CBI enquiry into corruption charges linked to him," said Congress leader Siddharamaiah.

Expressing concern
"No doubt this government is corrupt, but the Opposition must corner it by bringing out a debate in the house rather than disrupting the proceedings," said Ravivarma Kumar, a senior lawyer and constitution expert.
He said the disruption comes at the public's cost, as the government spends close to Rs 1 crore a day when the session is called. This includes pay bill of officials, sitting fee of the members, and utility bills.

While incessant interruption is one issue, the dwindling number of days the house sitting for session is a cause for concern. While it is mandatory to have session for at least 60 days a year, the assembly sat for only 31 days in 2010.u00a0

"We are interested in having a session for more than 60 days a year, but the opposition is not able to utilise the time properly. It is unfortunate that the governor could not readout the speech which is unprecedented," said Yeddyurappa.

S Sureshkumar, minister for law and parliamentary affairs said the government was ready to reply to the debate, provided the opposition participates in it. "I expected more mature behaviour from them, but they are letting down the people by their unruly behaviour."

The assembly has not met the statutory obligation even once, after an act was promulgated imposing a minimum of 60 days a year for the session, in 2005.
u00a0
Yearu00a0 No of days
2005u00a0u00a0u00a050
2006 u00a0u00a051
2007u00a0u00a058
2008u00a0u00a018
2009u00a0u00a014
2010u00a0u00a031

Now that's a lot of money

A break up of expenses on day, when the house is met
* Pay bill of officials and staffu00a0u00a0Rs9.6 lakh
* Honorarium for the staffu00a0u00a0Rs15.2 lakh
* Expenses on the staff of
Parliamenraty Affairs departmentu00a0u00a0Rs6,000
* Honorarium for police and horticulture staffu00a0Rs2.8 lakh
* Miscellaneousu00a0u00a0R8.46 lakh
* Power billu00a0u00a0Rs60,000
* Decorationu00a0Rs60,000
* White wash and paintingu00a0u00a0Rs10.35 lakh
* Travel allowance
for the membersu00a0Rs48 lakhu00a0Totalu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0R95.67 lakh