CM Siddaramaiah sets the speculation to rest: Won’t abolish the Upper House

Belagavi: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah categorically stated that the State Legislative Council would not be abolished. Replying to members in the Legislative Council on Friday, the CM said his government and party did not have any intention of abolishing the Council which was established by Sri Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar in 1907.

Raising the issue during zero hour, Capt Ganesh Karnik (BJP) underlined the importance of the Upper House and its contributions in the last 108 years. It was unbecoming on the part of a member of the Assembly to move a private bill seeking abolition of the Council contending that it was a sheer waste of money. Two developed countries like the USA and the United Kingdom too have two Houses knowing its importance. In India, the Council has been working successfully in many States for which Karnataka was a model.

Great people like Kuvempu, DVG, H Narasimhaiah and Dr Chandrashekar Kambar were members of this House and each of them had made a significant contribution. Dr Kambar's suggestion for developing the software in Kannada has now been implemented by the state government. The purpose of establishing this House was to ensure detailed discussion on important bills since it had members belonging to various fields. "I feel the abolition issue should not have been discussed in the lower house".

Janata Dal (S) Floor Leader Basavaraj Horatti said this was not the first time such an issue had been raised as it had been debated in the past too. It is raised whenever the ruling party fails to get a majority. There may be lacunae which could be addressed. But, abolition of the Council is not a solution. The government nominates prominent people who cannot contest elections to the Council, he said.