BAC sets schedule for T Bill debate

Seemandhra TDP and YSRCP MLAs stage walk-out

• CM insists on clause by clause debate
• All those who want to speak will be given a chance
• Kiran assures Assembly will stick to the Jan 23 deadline
• Naidu did not attend meeting though he was present in the premises

Hyderabad: The Business Advisory Committee which met here on Tuesday decided that the State Assembly and the Legislative Council would discuss the AP State Reorganisation Bill-2103 in two spells, Wednesday to Friday and then again after Christmas break. According to sources, the second phase of the discussion would be held sometime during the first week of January.

During the next three days, the question hour will remain suspended in the House. For the three days, there will be two sessions. The morning session will begin at 9 am and the evening session will be held after the lunch break.

The BAC also decided to put an end to the controversy that arose on Monday on whether or not the discussion on the draft T Bill had commenced or not in the State Assembly. The BAC felt that the decision of Deputy Speaker Bhatti Vikramarka who was in chair on Monday should be honoured and it should be deemed that the discussion had commenced.

Apart from Chief Minister Kiran Reddy those who represented the government in the meeting chaired by Speaker N Manhohar were Deputy Chief Minister C Damodara Rajanarasimha, Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu, Finance Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, Revenue Minister N Raghuveera Reddy, government chief whip Gandra Venkataramana Reddy and other whips. The leader of opposition N Chandrababu Naidu did not attend the meeting though he was present in the Assembly premises.

The Chief Minister, it is learnt, insisted that there should be detailed discussion clause by clause and all those who want to speak should be given a chance. It is learnt that Kiran also insisted on voting on every clause in the Bill.

TDP leader Gali Muddukrishnamma Naidu and YSRCP members led by party floor leader Y S Vijayalakshmi had an argument over the draft Bill. While Muddukrishnamma Naidu demanded the state government send the Bill back to the Centre as it contains several inconsistencies and technical glitches, Vijayalakshmi demanded that a resolution to keep the state united is taken up before the Bill was discussed. But the Chief Minister turned down the proposal.

Kiran, it is said, assured the members of all political parties that anyone who wants to speak on the Bill would be given an opportunity to express his views. He told the TRS and CPI members that they need not have any doubts on completing the process before January 23. The Assembly will stick to the deadline.

It is also said that some of the members from Seemandhra region criticised the Speaker for letting them down by tabling the draft Bill. The Speaker is understood to have told them that the Constitutional process cannot be stopped. TRS floor leader Etela Rajender said, “The discussions will be completed as per the directions given by the President.” He said the BAC also decided to take action against MLAs who insulted the Speaker and Deputy Speaker by burning their effigies on Monday. Meanwhile, the BAC of the Legislative Council was held prior to the meeting of the BAC of the Assembly. The Council's BAC meeting decided that the discussion on the Bill in the Council will follow the same timing as decided by the Assembly BAC.