Horatti writes to CM Bommai; wants all ministers present during legislature session

Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti in a letter to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has asked ministers and officials of the various departments to be present during the legislature session. The ten-day sitting will commence on September 13.

Horatti said the very purpose of democracy would be lost if the ministers failed to attend the session and address the issues related to the public.

He also asked ministers not to seek permission to abstain from session in the guise of works related to their constituencies.

"It has become very common for the ministers to seek permission to remain absent from session,” he said and added that it is the primary duty of the minister to give satisfactory answers related to his department to the members of the legislature. By remaining absent, the minister will not be able to find a solution for the problems and may also delay in resolving the issues, he said.

“It is the right of members to get a right answer from the ministers. By remaining absent, the ministers are denying that right to the MLAs and MLCs,” he said.

He asked the chief minister to ensure that all the ministers attend the sessions without fail.

Horatti also said that the success of any legislature session depends not only on ministers and members but also on officials. He asked the chief secretary to the government to ensure that all the officials concerned attend the session and provide proper answers to the questions raised by the members.

He asked the chief minister to provide the list of ministers and officials attending the session every morning and also act against officials and ministers skipping session.