PUDUCHERRY: In an unprecedented incident, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly V Sivakozhunthu today cancelled the Lt Governor's address in the budget session of the Legislative Assembly and adjourned the session till 12.05 for the presentation of the budget.

 The speaker in his ruling said that as the Lt Governor failed to turn up, he has cancelled her address under section 309 of business rules after a resolution was adopted in the house dispensing with the LG's address.

As soon as the house assembled this morning, Parliamentary Secretary to Chief Minister K Lakshminarayanan moved a resolution seeking dispensing with the address of the Lt Governor under Section 309 of Puducherry Business Rules as she did not turn up for delivering her address. 

The Speaker put the resolution for voting, which was adopted by a voice vote amidst objection by AIADMK and BJP members. BJP cited that it was not legal, while AIADMK members wanted only a discussion on coronavirus. The main opposition AINRC was not present in the Assembly.

The Speaker said that the budget was approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs on July 17  and it is redundant for Lt Governor again to approve the budget. He said the budget will be presented by Chief minister at 12.05 p.m and adjourned the house at 9.45 a.m.

It may be recalled that the Lt Governor Kiran Bedi on Sunday evening decided to give a fresh date for delivering the Lt Governor’s address and the presentation of the budget for the year 2020-2021 citing that the Chief Minister V Narayanasamy had not sent her the Annual Financial Statement and demand for grants.