The monsoon session of the State legislature, which will get under way on Monday, is expected to be a raucous one, considering it is the first time the legislature is meeting amidst the pandemic, with the Opposition eager to corner the BJP government on its handling of COVID-19, ‘anti-farmer’ bills, the alleged failure of the police in handling violence in K.G. Halli and D.G. Halli in Bengaluru, as well as all the drug-related investigations.
Seniors may skip session
It will be an eight-day session amidst a host of safety measures in place to ensure physical distancing and other norms to contain the spread of the pandemic. In fact, citing precautionary measures, many senior members are likely to skip the session. A COVID-19 negative report has been made mandatory for all legislators, officials and media personnel to enter the Secretariat during the session.
The Budget session had ended abruptly on March 24 as the number of cases started rising. As per the Constitutional provision, the legislature has to meet within six months from the last sitting.
While both Houses will function simultaneously, this time, due to extraordinary circumstances, no schoolchildren or public will be allowed to watch the proceedings of the Houses. Both ruling and Opposition lounges in both houses would be closed and the canteen facility would be at the entrance of the first floor. Media personnel are allowed to cover the proceedings from the second floor of the Assembly gallery.
Politically, the eight-day session is expected to be stormy as the Opposition parties, particularly the Congress, have been protesting against the government’s proposed bills related to land reforms, agricultural produce market committee (APMC), failure in handling of floods, violence in Bengaluru and ongoing investigation into the drug racket.
Over two dozen bills
The government has taken the ordinance route to make sweeping changes in laws, particularly in two vital sectors – agriculture and industry/labour – since the pandemic set in. Now, over two dozen bills are to be tabled during the session to frame new laws or amend existing ones.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Bill, 2020, which was referred to the joint select committee during the last session, too is likely to be tabled.
The Congress is all set to target the government on bills on amending Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961, and the APMC Act. Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah has already said that the amendments are ‘a scam bigger than illegal mining’ as farmers are set to lose lands valued over ₹50,000 crore. The proposed bill enables non-agriculturists to purchase agricultural land and repealed the income limit.
The farmers too have been opposing the Bill on amending the APMC Act for removing restrictions on sale of farm produce outside the AMPC markets. Congress has said the bill would disrupt the symbiotic relationship between farmers and the marketing yards and allow MNCs to dictate prices.
COVID-19, GST issues
Other major issues that are likely to rock both Houses are alleged mismanagement of the COVID-19 situation and alleged corruption in the purchase of equipment and lack of coordination between Ministers. The government would face criticism on frequent transfer of officials and poor handling of migrants during the lockdown.
The Opposition has been protesting against the Centre for not releasing the GST payout to the State, limited financial support to the State during the pandemic, large-scale job losses, lapses in providing compensation to unorganised sector workers during the lockdown, and other problems. These too are expected to be raised during the Session.
