Andhra Pradesh: New Assembly rule allows automatic suspension

Vijayawada: Assembly incorporated a new business rule here on Tuesday for the Legislative Assembly which says that members who enter the well of the House be automatically suspended.

This rule has been "necessitated by the unruly behaviour of the TDP members" who continued to obstruct the business of the House by repeatedly raising slogans against the government entering the Well of the house and displaying disrespect to the Speaker's chair too (in this instance on the alleged Jangareddygudem hooch tragedy).

The Chief Minister, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, was cut up with the allegations of the TDP despite the government claiming to the contrary that the deaths were due to natural causes and hence the incorporation of the new rule, it is said.

Rule 374A of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha provides that in the event of grave disorder occasioned by a member coming into the well of the House or abusing the rules of the House persistently and wilfully obstructing its business by shouting slogans or otherwise, such member shall, on being named by the Speaker, stand automatically suspended from the service of the House for five consecutive sittings or the remainder of the session, whichever is less. The same rule applies for the Assembly too, it is said and hence the change in the rule.

In making the move, the AP Assembly studied the example of Mizoram Assembly too which had incorporated such a provision. However, the AP Assembly incorporated the new rule to suspend the member for three days or till the session is over whichever is less.