City MLAs vow to oppose State bifurcation in Assembly

‘Views of MLAs will carry weight and provide ground for questioning in SC’

Vijayawada central MLA Malladi Vishnu showing clippings of a statement made by former Chief Justice of India G.B. Patnaik on the importance of the Assembly views, at a press conference in Vijayawada on Monday. Photo: Ch.Vijaya Bhaskar

City based Congress MLAs Malladi Vishnu and Vellampalli Srinivas said the views of the legislators opposing the bifurcation of the State will have value and provide grounds for the questioning of the division in the Supreme Court.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday the two MLAs said that they will attend the State Legislative Assembly session beginning December 12 and oppose the Bill for the bifurcation of the State.

Mr. Vishnu giving details said that several constitutional experts whom he had consulted, told him that the views of the MLAs would carry weight.

The Central Government was of the opinion that the approval of the State Legislative Assembly was not required, never in the history of independent India, a bill opposed in a State Assembly had been passed by Parliament. The MLA displaying a clipping from an English daily in which a former Chief Justice of India G. B. Patnaik had said that the views of the State Assembly were imperative for Parliament to take a decision on the bifurcation of the state. The division of the State would be unconstitutional if it was done despite opposition from the Legislative Assembly, the MLA said.

Asked what the MLAs would do if the party high-command issued a whip, Mr. Vishnu said that there would be no party whip because there were differences of opinion on the issue on the basis of region.

Asked what the MLAs would do if sufficient time was not granted for a thorough discussion on the issue, the MLA said according to the Constitution six weeks should be given to the State Assembly to discuss the draft Bill.

The draft bill would be sent back to the President with a letter asking for additional time as per the Constitution. As Parliament could not go ahead without the opinions of the State Assembly, the required time would definitely be granted, Mr. Vishnu said.

The MLAs condemned the statements against Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy by Telangana leaders. The TRS leaders demanding CBI inquiry against Mr. Reddy was ridiculous because there were no grounds for the CBI probe.