The matter of the ruling BJP’s initiative to move a no-confidence motion against the Chairman of the Legislative Council and the unruly episode that unfolded in the Upper House on Tuesday is now in the court of Governor Vajubhai Vala, with BJP members, accompanied by a few JD(S) MLCs, seeking his intervention.
A delegation of BJP and JD(S) MLCs, led by Law Minister J.C. Madhuswamy, sought the Governor’s intervention to resolve the deadlock and take to a logical end their notice for allowing a motion of no confidence against Chairman K. Prathapchandra Shetty. They went to Raj Bhavan after the Upper House was adjourned sine die.
In their petition, the BJP members maintained that as per Article 182, the Chairman is supposed to have taken up their no-confidence motion initiated during the previous session as the 14-day notice period was completed. Arguing that the article did not provide for the Chairman to preside over a session if a no-confidence motion was initiated against him, they contended that he had not only presided over the session, but also the business advisory meetings of the Upper House.
Taking exception to the Chairman’s communication to members in which he stated that the no-confidence motion was rejected as it did not mention the reasons for making such a move, the BJP members said the communication was “illegal” as the rules did not insist on the reasons being mentioned. Also, the earlier no-confidence motion moved against the then Chairman D.H. Shankaramurthy by the Congress too had not mentioned any reasons, they argued.
Maintaining that the Chairman was not allowed to decide the correctness of a no-confidence motion initiated against him, the BJP members said it was the Deputy Chairman who had to take a call on the issue. However, when the Deputy Chairman was presiding, Congress members Narayanaswamy and Naseer Ahmed “assaulted” him, the delegation of leaders alleged.
Seeking immediate intervention from the Governor, they appealed to him to direct the Chairman to convene a session to decide on the no-confidence motion. They also appealed to him to ensure that the House was conducted as per the provisions of Article 182.
Law Minister J.C. Madhuswamy said the Governor had assured them of looking into the issue.