No proposal made on presenting gold biscuits, silver plates to legislators: Shankaramurthy

BENGALURU Amidst criticism from ruling and opposition members, Legislative Council Chairman D.H. Shankaramurthy on Monday said no proposal was sent to the Finance Department seeking funds for presenting gold biscuits and silver plates to 300 legislators.

The clarification comes in the wake of the Legislature Secretariat deciding to organise diamond jubilee celebrations of the Vidhana Soudha on October 25 in a grand manner.

Mr. Shankaramurthy said it was decided to give mementos to all present members of the State Legislative Assembly and Council. He was in favour of presenting a wooden plank engraved with the emblem of the Vidhana Soudha to legislators. The expenditure would attract Goods and Service Tax (GST) to the tune of ₹ 5 crore. “We made only estimates of expenditure so far.”

Assembly Speaker K.B. Koliwad said a proposal of ₹ 26.87 crore has been submitted to the Finance Department. Sources said the proposal was likely to be scaled down.

Minister for Planning, Statistics and S&T M.R. Seetharam said presenting expensive gifts to legislators “is not necessary”. Before making the proposal, the Legislature Secretariat should have discussed the issue with the government to collection opinions, he said.

MLCs Marithibbe Gowda, Basavaraja Horatti, Puttanna, and Srikante Gowda have also opposed the idea and said they would not receive such gifts.