While appealing to the members to cooperate in the smooth conduct of the Assembly session beginning Monday (January 20), Speaker Thammineni Seetharam said the House would exercise its powers vested by the Constitution for protecting its rights and privileges and that it requested the government to ensure that no untoward incident takes place.
He cautioned non-members against disrupting the Assembly, for which rigorous imprisonment could be awarded, and suggested members express their opinions in the House as per rules.
Obstructing the proceedings of the Assembly was tantamount to breaching its privilege, he said.
Addressing media persons at his residence here on Sunday, Mr. Seetharam said there were instances when persons who created disturbances in the Assembly and on its premises were sent to jail as the Assembly was an independent and autonomous body functioning as per constitutional tenets and has certain discretionary powers.
As far as the members were concerned, they could bring issues to the notice of the House in a proper manner. While Business Rules 354, 355 and 356 would be strictly followed inside the Assembly, the law would take its course outside and the police would obviously do their duty.
