House panel to revisit rules to make Assembly session 'disruption-free'

Legislative Assembly Speaker K B Koliwad on Thursday said he was exploring the possibility of making suitable changes in the rules and procedures to ensure a “disruption-free” morning session of the House.

Speaking to reporters here, he said a House committee would be formed soon to revisit the rules for conducting the Assembly. The committee, among other things, will explore whether amendments can be brought to the rules to “punish” members who disrupt the proceedings.
“I am looking forward to a 10 am to 2 pm morning session which is devoid of any disruption,” he added.

Koliwad’s decision to form the committee comes after almost the entire monsoon session of the legislature was disrupted over the deadlock between the government and the Opposition over the suicide of DySP, M K Ganapathi.

The committee will study the rules related to legislative proceedings in other states and Parliament. The Speaker said he was keen on replicating the e-Vidhan project implemented in the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Under the project, the Assembly will be fully web-based and automated with no requirement for manually laying papers.

‘Fake’ medical bills by ex-MLAs

Legislative Assembly Speaker K B Koliwad on Thursday said he had directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to expedite the probe into a case pertaining to submission of fake medical bills by former legislators.

Following allegations that seven former legislators had submitted fake bills under the medical reimbursement provision, former Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa had referred the matter to the CID. But it is said that the agency has not made much
progress in the case.