JOIN USChief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Monday said he would convene a meeting to draw a protocol for MLAs, district in-charge ministers and chairpersons of boards/corporations.
He told the Assembly that he would convene a meeting of floor leaders and officials to decide the protocol to be followed. He said he would place a report in this regard before the Assembly in the next session.
The announcement came after B C Patil (Cong) and a host of other MLAs complained that elected representatives had been sidelined during government functions. Patil said, in his constituency Haveri, a Vakil Bhavan was inaugurated by the Bar Association president. But, he was not invited. This amounted to violation of protocol, he alleged and demanded that the issue be referred to the privileges committee of the House.
Congress MLAs said board/corporation chiefs, despite not being elected representatives, have been given cabinet minister status and they get more primacy than MLAs in government functions. Speaker K G Bopaiah reserved his judgement on Patil’s demand to refer the matter to the privileges panel.