Terming Tuesday’s incidents at the Karnataka Legislative Council a “black mark in India’s parliamentary democracy”, Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah on Tuesday accused the BJP and the JD(S) of engineering a “planned conspiracy” in which the rules of the House were violated and Constitutional provisions thrown to the wind.
“The Chairman was locked in his office, and without his permission the Deputy Chairman was asked to chair the session. Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and Law Minister J.C. Madhuswamy have to tell the people which of the House rules were followed today,” he told presspersons after the Council was adjourned sine die amid din.
“The rules state that if the Chairman cannot officiate the House because of foreign travel, health grounds or any other specific reasons, he can allow the Deputy Chairman to officiate. Has this rule been followed? The no-confidence motion was not on the House agenda since it had been rejected for not being in order. If the motion comes into the agenda, 10 members should support the motion without any discussion. Based on this, the Chairman has to fix a day for taking up the motion within five days. Has this rule been followed?” he asked, reading from the rulebook.
