The State government succeeded in getting the Budget for 2020–21 passed in the Legislative Council by a voice vote even as the entire Opposition was in the Council’s well seeking setting up of a House committee to probe alleged irregularities in purchase of laptops meant for students.
Despite requests from Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J.C. Madhuswamy and House Leader and Muzrai Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary the Opposition members did not budge. Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, who introduced the Finance Bill in the House, also requested the members to take their seats.
Even as he started his reply on the Budget discussion, members from treasury benches, including Mr. Madhuswamy, requested Mr. Yediyurappa to truncate his speech, which he did after a few minutes into his speech.
Earlier, the Opposition members sought a House committee probe into the purchase of laptops. Leader of the Opposition S.R. Patil said that the government had given a written reply, and that it did not include a probe by the House committee. “Laptops have been purchased at double the price. When a similar complaint was made during Siddaramaiah’s tenure as Chief Minister, we agreed to constitute a House committee to probe.”
The House was adjourned multiple times over the demand and protest by Opposition members, who trooped to the well.
