The Assembly was adjourned for the third consecutive day on Tuesday with the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) legislators disrupting the proceedings demanding lifting of the prohibitory orders in Sabarimala.
As soon as Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan commenced the proceedings of the question hour, the Opposition legislators shouted slogans and raised placards and banners in support of the demand.
The UDF legislators trooped to the well of the House and N.A. Nellikunnu of the UDF did not raise his question, forcing the Speaker to move to the second question. Minister for Local Administration A.C. Moideen replied to the question and answered to the supplementaries raised by LDF legislators.
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As Mr. Moideen was replying to the third question listed for the day, the UDF legislators stepped up the protest despite appeal by the Speaker. “The frequent disruption of the question hour is not correct. Do you think what your are doing is correct. You have other forum to raise the issues,’’ the Speaker told the Opposition.
Four legislators — Anwar Sadath, Hibi Eden, V.P. Sajeendran and Eldose P. Kunnappilly — climbed the podium forcing the Speaker to warn the Opposition that he would be forced to suspend the question hour and cut short the proceedings if they did not return to their seats and cooperate with the Chair in the conduct of the proceedings.
As UDF legislators continued with their protest, the Speaker suspended the remaining section of the question hour by 9.27 a.m. and took up the listed business for the day. The replies to the submissions, calling attention and various reports were tabled in the House by the chairpersons of the Assembly committees and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan made a statement under Rule 300 against the Centre’s move to privatise Thiruvananthapuram international airport and State’s interest in managing the premier airport of the State.
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Amidst protest by UDF legislators, the House referred the Kerala Metropolitan Authority Bill 2018 to the Subject Committee and passed the Kerala Sports (Amendment) Bill 2018 without discussion before adjourning for the day at 9.59 a.m.