The constitution of select committees by Andhra Pradesh state legislative council chairman Mohd Ahmed Sharif to look into the two crucial bills – AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020 and the APCRDA (Repeal) Bill seems to have run into rough weather.
On Monday, the officials of the state legislature sent back the file on constitution of the select committees to the legislative council chairman on the ground that the committees cannot be constituted because the motion on the same was not passed in the council.
The officials reportedly mentioned that Rule 154 cannot be applied in the constitution of the committees.
Following this, members of the Telugu Desam Party, Bharatiya Janata Party and PDF met legislature secretary P Balakrishnamacharyulu and demanded that the committees be constituted since the chairman has the discretionary powers to do so.
They are now planning to serve a notice of breach of privilege on the legislature office, if the committees were not constituted as per the directions of the council chairman.
The two bills were passed in the state assembly on January 20, but were held back in the legislative council, which later announced that they would be sent the same to the select committee.
Subsequently, the Jagan government moved a resolution in the state assembly on January 27 seeking to abolish the legislative council and it was adopted unanimously.
Later, it was intimated that there would be two separate select committees for two bills and the chairman asked the political parties in the council to suggest names for these select committees.
Except YSRC, the other political parties sent the names of their representatives to the council chairman which announced the formation of committees.
The YSRC, however, has announced that as far as the government is concerned, the legislative council stood abolished.
YSRC floor leader in the council and minister Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose and party MLC Ummareddy Venkateshwarlu wrote a letter to the state legislature secretary P Balakrishnamacharyulu stating that the YSRC cannot send its names for the select committee, which was constituted against the rules and without following any procedure.
YSRC leader and advisor (public affairs) to the state government Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said there was no sanctity to the select committee which the legislative council chairman announced without following any rules.
“Our party doesn’t acknowledge the select committee at all. So, how can we suggest the names of our members to the committee that doesn’t exist at all?” he asked.
