Advocate issues legal notice to KCR for not attending Assembly session

In his notice, advocate and legal consultant Paduri Srinivasa Reddy said that after the formation of Telangana in 2014, senior MLA Kunduru Jana Reddy of Congress became the first LoP in Telangana Assembly, from June 3 2014 to September 6, 2018, till the Assembly is dissolved.

Congress MLA Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka of Congress served as second LoP in Telangana Assembly from January 20 to June 6, 2019t for 139 days only. The LoP position was vacant since no opposition party had 10 seats, from June 6 2019 to December 8 2023, for 4 years, 185 days.

Former Chief Minister Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) of BRS became third leader of opposition in Telangana Assembly from December 16 2023.

In gist, the LoP’s main role is to question the government of the day and hold them accountable to the public. The role of LoP in Assembly is basically to check the excesses of the ruling party. The Opposition party has a major role and must act to discourage the party in power from acting against the interests of the State and the common man.

While conceding BRS defeat in Assembly elections, KCR decided to accept the position of LoP. Urgent task as LoP will need to focus on public issues and keep constant check and balance to Leader of House and treasury benches. The LoP had to work with strong determination and must make several interventions appropriately and timely that gain significance against the backdrop of the Assembly budget session.

KCR while speaking to party workers at his farm house stated that he was watching the government's performance with patience and would hit back strongly at the right time. Further, he declared that a public meeting in February would be held to expose the government.

“My client humbly demands, why not KCR as LoP attend Assembly and perform his duties diligently in Telangana interest, rather making statements outside Assembly.. My client believes that the BRS Chief has lost touch with reality, staying away from Assembly and living in isolation for long, might be his lack of confidence to attend Assembly and perform his duties as LoP,” he said.

“We urge the Speaker to remove KCR from the LoP position or at least summon him to know his real reasons for avoiding performing the LoP role. Probably, the Speaker should investigate with KCR about their party's continuous absence of LoP from Assembly proceedings, at least now considering my client's legal notice,” he said.

According to Reddy, it is simple that if one continuously abstains from duty, their position will ineffectively become a vacant position.

“My client, to prevent potential danger to democracy by KCR as LoP absenteeism, decided to issue this legal notice to all to address this problem. Responsibility in democracy lies with authorities to pinpoint towards KCR failure as LoP. The politically sick man continues to traverse a dismal path,” he said.

The Speaker should do everything to enhance the respect and trust of common people, especially farmers in Assembly by bringing KCR as LoP or with suitable replacement, as per situation necessitates. All should exercise their powers conferred by law and rules for running Assembly with KCR as LoP attending or with suitable replacement with another BRS MLA as LoP in the larger public interest with effect from the date of receipt of this legal notice.

Assembly budget session, which is slated to start, hence consider this legal notice seriously in the interest of public and farmers, as LoP presence in Assembly and participation in proceedings significantly change the government working, which is the backdrop of this legal notice objective, Reddy added.