Council chief: Have time to decide on no-trust motion

Legislative Council Chairman D H Shankaramurthy has said he has 14 days from May 30 to take a decision on the no-confidence motion notice submitted by the Congress against him.

Addressing reporters here on Saturday, the chairman said even after 14 days, it is left to the discretion of the chair as to when a discussion should be allowed on the motion. A minimum of 10 members should support the motion, he said.

The legislature session is commencing on June 5 and is scheduled to conclude on June 15. The duration could be extended in case the business advisory committees of the Houses decide so.

If there are less than 10 members supporting the motion, it fails. Within five days after the motion is taken up for discussion, the voting has to take place, he said. The Congress has submitted a notice pertaining to the motion to the legislative council secretariat.

The Congress is the single largest party with 35 MLCs, including three associated members. The total strength of the House is 75. Of these, two seats are vacant due to the demise of BJP’s Vimala Gowda and the governor not approving the name of C M Lingappa as nominated member. The BJP, including the chairman, has 24 members, while the JD(S) has 14. Recently, the government sent the name of Lingappa to the Raj Bhavan for approval to be nominated as an MLC.

According to Congress member V S Ugrappa, at least 49 members will vote for the motion. “If the JD(S) decides to remain neutral, then also the Congress will have an upper hand as it has 35 members against 24 of the BJP,” he pointed out. However, the chairman says he got the post because the JD(S) supported him.

The JD(S), reacting to the developments, has said usually, the no confidence motion is not moved against the Assembly Speaker, Council Chairman and their deputies. In case such a motion is moved, they resign. But moving the motion is not a good development, it has said.

In a statement, JD(S) member Ramesh Babu said, “The JD(S) would like to maintain a distance from the no-confidence motion issue.  Neither the chairman nor the Congress should misuse the name of the JD(S). In case voting has to take place, party leaders H D Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy will express their opinion on the party’s stand.”