Amaravati: Assembly Secretary Peddinti Bala Krishnamacharyulu withholds Select Committees, despite orders from Chairman

Amaravati: Reacting on the stalemate on formation of the Select Committees on two bills including three capitals and repeal of APCRDA, the TDP leaders demanded the Assembly Secretary Peddinti Bala Krishnamacharyulu to constitute them as per the orders of the AP Legislative Council Chairman Shareef. The MLCs including Ashok Babu, Buddha Venkanna, Naga Jagadeesh and others met him on Monday.

They said that the Secretary did not have powers to comment or delay the procedure once decision is taken by the Council Chairman.

Ashok Babu said that, the Secretary did not issue the Bulletin and withheld the orders of the Chairman as the Government pressured him. The MLC further stated that while withholding the orders of the Chairman, the Secretary was saying that the rules were not allow to form select committees based on the discretionary powers of the Chair.

The TDP leaders said that once the Rule 71 was passed in the Council and all the members were against the two Bills, then how could the government or Secretary expect that the House will speak in favour of the Government at the time of referring to select committee? He added that, if the Ministers allowed the Chairman to discharge his duties, then there was no need for him to exercise the discretionary powers.

"The action of the Secretary amounts to violation of the Constitution of India. He is going beyond his limits", Ashok Babu said. He said that despite orders from the Chairman, Secretary did not constitute the select committees.