Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa said his permission was not required to arrest a legislator outside the precincts of the Assembly and Legislators’ Home (LH). Besides, Thimmappa said his approval is not required for prosecution of MLAs for corrupt or criminal acts.
In an interaction with Deccan Herald, Thimmappa recalled that he had passed a ruling in May this year that prosecuting agencies do not have to seek his clearance for booking cases against MLAs.
The issue of seeking the Speaker’s permission to arrest or prosecute MLAs has come to fore following the police trying to locate Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashapannavar, who allegedly assaulted policemen in a bar in Bangalore.
Thimmappa said as per provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code sanction of prosecution can only be given by an authority which has the power to appoint or remove a public servant. “Legislators are not appointed by me.
They are elected by the people. My permission is not required for prosecution of legislators,” he added.
Published 04 July 2014, 19:24 IST