Ministers' absence in House can't be tolerated: Speaker

Taking suo motu notice of the absence of several ministers in the Karnataka Assembly, Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar on Wednesday took strong exception to it, saying it "cannot be tolerated" and the House could not be taken "lightly."

Irked by the ministers' absence during the motion of thanks to the Governor for his address to the joint session of the state legislature, the Speaker said 13 ministers should have been present in the House according to the official list sent to his office.

"Only six ministers are present in the House, where have the rest seven gone?" he questioned.

Calling out the names of ministers, Kumar said Deputy chief minister G Parameshwara, Cooperation minister Bandeppa Kashyampur, Horticulture minister M C Manguli, Social Justice minister Priyank Kharge, Minor Irrigation minister C SPuttaraju and Health minister Shivanand Patil were present.

He asked where PWD minister H D Revanna, Irrigation minister D K Shivakumar, Municipality and Local Bodies minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries minister Venkata Rao Nadagouda, Housing minister U T Khader, Tourism and Sericulture minister Sa Ra Mahesh, and Food and Civil Supplies minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, had gone.

"I will give 15 minutes, this will be viewed very seriously, they cannot take the House lightly," he said, as he directed the ruling side to ensure that ministers are present in the House. The Speaker and the Chair cannot be taken for granted, Kumar said, adding, such absenteeism from the House without any prior intimation or permission "cannot be tolerated."

"Please tell your people (ministers)...what better work do they have than being here?" he said as he asked Deputy chief minister Parameshwara to take note.

In due course of the day, other ministers made it to the House.