Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said while leaders aspire to become members of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council at least once, it is a matter of regret that they often end up absenting themselves during legislature sessions.
Many legislators do not actively participate in the proceedings of the legislature and skip sessions after they are elected, said the former Chief Minister who has nearly four decades of parliamentary experience.
In his address to a two-day workshop organised for members of both Houses of the State Legislature, Mr. Siddaramaiah said MLAs and MLCs should participate in the legislature proceedings without fail, and make efforts to address the grievances of the public in their constituencies.
The Congress leader spoke about the relevance of Bills, official business and public accounts committee, and said Bills should be drafted in response to the aspirations of the people to ensure social and economic justice.
Noting the growing inequality among the rich and the poor in India, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the tax burden on the common people has to be reduced. The governments should tax the rich and corporate leaders, and utilise tax resources for the welfare of the poor and the needy, he opined.
Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs J.C. Madhuswamy and Leader of the Opposition in the Council B.K. Hariprasad attended the workshop.