Amid fears expressed by BJP leaders over “tactics” that could be adopted to delay the trust vote on Thursday, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has clarified that discussion on the motion will be initiated as per schedule.
He told reporters on Wednesday that the discussion would be taken up as per the decision made by the Business Advisory Committee and announced by Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar on the floor of the House. He, however, said, “In the light of the Supreme Court decision, a lot of other issues could also come for discussion in the House.”
On Wednesday, soon after Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) leaders met the Speaker to discuss the consequences of the Supreme Court order, a delegation of BJP leaders, led by the former Minister Basavaraj Bommai, the former Speaker K.G. Bopaiah, and J.C. Madhuswamy, MLA, met the Speaker to urge him not to allow the motion to be postponed.
“We had certain information that the government was trying to postpone the trust motion. However, when we enquired, the Speaker informed us that it would be taken as per schedule,” said Mr. Madhuswamy.
However, explaining the process, a senior Legislative Assembly Secretariat official said the Speaker would have the prerogative to fix the time for discussion based on the list of speakers for and against the motion provided by the chief whips of the respective parties.
As the discussion is taken up, the number of legislators wanting to speak could also go up.
“Though there is no bar on the number of legislators to speak during the trust vote, it is ultimately the Speaker who decides how many people can speak and allots time accordingly,” said the source.