Eamcet leak case: Congress members stage walk-out in Council

HYDERABAD: The opposition Congress members staged a walk-out in the Legislative Council when the Government turned down their demand to order a judicial inquiry into the Eamcet-II 2016 examination paper leak.

Leader of the Opposition Mohd Ali Shabbir raised the issue during the Question Hour and said that even after six months, the kingpins behind the leak were yet to be arrested. As the case involved brokers in several States, a judicial inquiry should be ordered.

Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Kadiyam Srihari said that after CID gave a prima facie report that the Eamcet II for medical entrance was leaked to some students for a sum two days before the examination on July 9, the Government annulled the exam and later held it afresh.

So far 49 accused were arrested and Rs.2.87 crore recovered and other movable and immovable property of the accused were seized. They were awaiting the CID final report and if required further inquiry would be ordered.

The Congress members led by Mr.Shabbir said the Minister did not give a satisfactory reply and staged a walk-out.

No user charges in bus stations: Transport Minister M.Mahender Reddy said there was no proposal to impose user charges in the bus stations.

He however defended the decision to hike RTC bus fare by 6.27 per cent more than two years after Telangana State was formed. The government in the combined State of Andhra Pradesh revised bus fare four times, he recalled. The hike became inevitable as the RTC was incurring a loss of Rs.600 crore per year.

Seed Act soon: Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy said the Government will soon bring out a comprehensive Seed Act and the draft was sent to the Law department for vetting. Replying to a query, he said seeds, pesticides were supplied in Kharif through 635 Primary

Agricultural Cooperative Societies out of 906 PACS to break the monopoly of seed companies. In the previous government seeds were supplied only through 200 societies. Cases were filed under the PD Act against five seed companies for supplying fake seeds.

Later the House observed two minute silence as a mark of respect after the Chairman moved condolence motion to condole the death of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalitha and former MLC Malkud Manik Rao.