Hyderabad: The TRS government faced an embarrassing situation in the Legislative Assembly on Sunday when Opposition members refused to take part in the discussion on voting for Demands for Grants on the ground that the copies of the Demand and Outcome Budget were not provided to members in advance.
MIM Floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi took the government to task for asking members to take up the debate in the House without they knowing the contents of the Demands and Outcome Budget.
The Speaker had to postpone the debate to rectify the situation. Realising the lapse, the government later provided copies but Opposition members sought a day’s time to go through them.
Discussion on Demands for Grants forms a major component of Budget approval process as the House expresses its views, suggestions and objections on sanctioning and utilisation of funds by each department and the Speaker will put it to voice vote for passage after the debate.
In the absence of debate, the Speaker would be left with no option but to apply the guillotine and adopt the Demands. The government on Friday moved six demands, minority welfare, housing, social welfare, tribal welfare, backward classes welfare and women, child and disabled welfare.
The Speaker asked members to initiate the debate on these demands. However, Mr Owaisi said, “After providing copies of demands, normally a day’s time is given for members to study before taking up debate. But the government has failed to provide even copies so far. Without knowing the contents, how can we take up debate? I have waited for these copies till yesterday evening but in vain. Even today, I looked for these copies but only a few were available. Without going through them, how can we discuss the Demands? There may be some geniuses in ruling party who can do that.”
Other opposition parties BJP, TD, CPI, CPM and YSRC too expressed similar views. The Speaker admitted the lapse and said steps would be taken to avert such a situation in the future. He added that the ruling party was ready to initiate the debate.
However, Mr Owaisi said that it would set a bad precedent in the House.
Minister K.T. Rama Rao intervened and said, “Our MLA Guvvala Balaraju is ready to initiate the debate. Why he should not be allowed when he says he is prepared?”
The Speaker allowed Mr Balaraju to speak on the issue for 20 minutes and adjourned the House for the day saying that the debate would be continued on Monday.
