Chair8217;s ruling can8217;t be flayed8217;

HYDERABAD, April 22: In a significant ruling, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Yanamala Ramakrishnudu today held that criticising...

HYDERABAD, April 22: In a significant ruling, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Yanamala Ramakrishnudu today held that criticising the Chair8217;s ruling even outside the Assembly is tantamount to misconduct of members and attracts penal powers of the House.

Referring to a specific case in which Congress members criticised his ruling, at a press conference held in the lobbies of the Assembly on April 3, the Speaker said it was 8220;certainly unwarranted, unethical and unbecoming8221; on their part.

However, he left a final decision on the matter to the collective wisdom of the House. 8220;If the House feels any decision is to be taken on this particular matter, it can arrive at it by way of a motion,8221; he said. The issue is likely to come up before the House tomorrow.

The issue arose with the Congress members insisting on a debate on the Telugu Desam party8217;s stand towards the BJP government at the Centre on the ground that such a discussion had been promised by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu after theresignation of minister Basheeruddin Babu Khan.

However, later Naidu refused the debate saying that already the House had discussed the issue substantially. Expressing doubts whether the House can discuss the policies of political parties, several members sought a ruling from the Chair.

In his ruling, Ramakrishnudu made it clear that the members cannot insist on such a discussion as: 8220;Political policies cannot be discussed on the floor of the House.8221; Legislative bodies were meant to enact laws and the House was not the right forum for such debates.

However, Congress legislature party leader P Janardhan Reddy and some other MLAs of the party addressed a press conference and criticised the Speaker8217;s ruling as being improper8217;, partial8217; and in favour of the ruling party8217;.Based on the objections raised by TDP Chief Whip R Chandrasekhar Reddy about the news conference criticising the Chair, the Speaker gave his ruling today. In a detailed ruling, Ramakrishnudu said use of offensive expression anddefamatory words about the conduct of the proceedings of the House were violative of the rules of the Assembly.

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8220;Let me assert at this juncture that it is the right of the Speaker to interpret the Constitution and rules, so far as matters in relating to the House are concerned. And, no one, including the government, can enter into any argument with the Speaker on such interpretations,8221; he said. Finally, the Speaker left the matter to the decision of the House as the incident took place outside the House.