Hyderabad, March 30: Thirty members of the Legislative Council, constituting one-third of the strength of the Upper House, retired on Tuesday on completion of their four-year term.
Council Chairman A. Chakrapani and Deputy Chairman Mohd. Jani were among those who retired. All the outgoing members were felicitated before the House adjourned sine die after passing the Appropriation Bills.
In effect, the session ended without a Chairman in place. Although Mr. Chakrapani has not been re-nominated to the House from the Governor’s quota, Mr. Jani, though a member, ceases to be Deputy Chairman.
Pro tem chairman
A pro tem chairman would be named by the government from among the senior members. He, in turn, will administer oath to the newly elected members.
Sources said that the five vacancies from the Governor’s quota are unlikely to be filled soon since Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy prefers to wait till the conclusion of the byelections to the Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula Assembly constituencies. Leader of Opposition Dadi Veerabhadra Rao in fact raised the matter in the House on Monday when he said it was not proper for a constitutional institution to remain without a head and hoped that an alternative arrangement would be in place before the session was adjourned sine die.
–Agencies