In a bicameral legislature of a state, legislative assembly as well as legislative council have their own relevance.
Though the assembly reflects the actual aspirations of the people, the council too indirectly represents the people and has its own powers.
Just like the majority members decide the fate of a bill in the assembly, the same thing happens in the legislative council as well. If the Speaker is all powerful in the state assembly, the chairman is also equally powerful in the council.
But Andhra Pradesh assembly speaker Tammineni Sitaram seems to be of the view that the legislative council is a useless body and its decisions are irrelevant.
Speaking to reporters at a function in Rajahmundry, Sitaram referred to the recent developments in the legislative council.
“There is no need to take the council decisions into consideration. It cannot stall the government bills. Whatever decisions that the assembly takes, they are final. The council has no relevance,” he said.
The Speaker attacked the Telugu Desam Party for creating ruckus in the council and stalling the appropriation bill.
“The TDP is indulging in cheap politics. It is not able to digest the implementation of welfare schemes by the state government,” he said.
It is a different matter that the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh has decided to wind up the council and passed a resolution to this effect in the assembly.
But as long as the council exists, it also has a rule in passage of the government bills.
One wonders whether Tammineni would have made the same statement had the YSRC enjoyed full majority in the council too!
