Crucial Appropriation Bill passed in Pondy assembly

The nominated legislators, V Saminathan, KG Shankar and S Selvaganapthy attended the session after Speaker V Vaithilingam gave them permission through separate letters on Tuesday. 

After the House passed the Appropriation bill tabled by the Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, the government whip raised a point of order and tabled a resolution stating that the nominated legislators had no right to vote on any matter in the House.

RKR Anandaraman said nominated MLAs had no right to exercise their franchise anywhere in the country in the presidential elections as per Article 55 of the Constitution. 

Objecting to the resolution, AINRC MLAs Ashok Anand and NSJ Jayabalstaged a walk out. The AIADMK members also registered their protest against the resolution. The Congress government had opposed the appointment of the three BJP functionaries as MLAs by the Centre on the ground it was not consulted. 

Though Bedi had inducted them as MLAs on July 4 last year in the Raj Nivas, Speaker Vaithilingam refused to recognise them as legislators, saying they were not nominated by the competent authority.

The Supreme Court, while refusing to stay a Madras High Court order upholding their nomination, had on July 19 asked the Assembly speaker to allow the three nominated BJP leaders to function as MLAs. 

Earlier, when Narayanasamy tabled the bill, AIADMK MLA A Anbalagan intervened and said the Congress government had displayed its “weakness” by not being able to present the Appropriation Bill on July 18 when it was scheduled to be tabled for adoption. 

He also charged the Lt Governor with ‘delaying’ her consent to the introduction of the Bill on July 18 and making a ‘mockery’ of the Assembly.

“The turf war between the Lt Governor and the government has cast a slur on the Assembly and crippled routine working of the government,” he alleged. Responding to the MLA’s criticism, the Chief Minister said as per the earlier plan, the Assembly session was slated to be held till July 27. 

But the session adjourned sine die on July 19, as all the legislators had planned to proceed to Delhi to persuade the Centre to grant statehood for Puducherry. 

The House had before adjourning sine die passed all the demands for grants and the Finance Bill was sent to Lt Governor for her consent for introduction before the session ended. 

However, the the Bill was retained in Bedi’s office without being cleared till July 19, he said. Narayanasamy further said he had received a letter on July 21 from Bedi conveying her approval with the condition that the three MLAs be permitted to attend the proceedings as per the interim order of the Supreme court. 

Claiming that Bedi has no authority whatsoever to lay down any condition while forwarding her approval for introduction of the Bill, the Chief Minister said he had forwarded to the Union Home Ministry, the copy of the letter he had written to the Lt Governor in this regard. After Narayanasamy’s reply, the Speaker put the Bill to voice vote and announced that it was  passed with majority of the members supporting it.