Speaker’s call to ensure Assembly, Council meets be held sans hiccups

Hyderabad: Telangana State Legislative Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar asked the police and officials of other departments to ensure that the meetings of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council are held smoothly without any problems.

The Speaker along with Legislative Council Chairman Gutta Sukhender Reddy and Legislative Council Deputy Chairman Banda Prakash Mudiraj had a pre-meeting with top officials of the State Government and Police Department on Monday at the Speaker’s Chamber in the Legislative Assembly building on the administration, facilities and security arrangements in view of the Telangana State Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council sessions to commence from March 12.

Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar thanked all the State Government officials, Legislative Assembly officials and staff who helped in the smooth conduct of the previous sessions. There should be arrangements to enhance the dignity of the Telangana State Legislative Assembly sessions. This time, the budget sessions will be held for a long time. Like in the past, the state government and officials should provide support for these sessions. The information requested by the members should be provided as soon as possible. When the discussion related to the department was going on, the officials of the concerned departments should be available and cooperate by providing appropriate information to the Ministers and Members, he said.

The Speaker further said that steps should be taken on behalf of the Police Department to ensure that the meetings of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council are held smoothly without any problems. Discussions take place best when there is a peaceful atmosphere both inside the House and in the surroundings. The intelligence system should work efficiently and actively.

Council Chairman Gutta Sukhender Reddy said that the officials of all departments should work together to successfully conduct the Telangana state Assembly sessions. He suggested that the officials of all departments, Ministers and public representatives should definitely attend the meetings where the sessions are held. He asked that nodal officers and liaison officers should be appointed. He said that the police department should be alert as there are chances of many associations calling for Assembly Chalo programmes during the sessions. He suggested that three-tier security should be tightened around the assembly and legislative council on the days of the sessions. Similarly, security should be arranged at the residences of VIPs and on the route to the Assembly.

Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu said, “We will provide full support from the government for the smooth functioning of the House. We will take steps to provide answers to pending questions quickly. We will appoint a nodal officer for each department. This will make it easier to communicate.”