Alleging that MPs and MLAs were shifting their loyalties for their selfish ends, former Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy has opined that Assembly Speakers have been becoming pawns in the hands of ruling parties.
Jaipal Reddy participated in a conference on ‘Party Defections-Role of Speaker’ held at Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram here on Sunday along with Supreme Court former Justices BP Jeevan Reddy, Justice B Sudarshan Reddy, High Court former Justices P Laxmana Reddy, Justice B Sheshashayana Reddy, “Sakshi” editorial director K Ramachandra Murthy, Lok Satta leader Jayaprakash Narayan, YSRCP official spokesperson Venugopal and others participated in the program.
Justice Jeevan Reddy opined that rules framed in Anti-Defection Law were quite opposite. He said the political parties be given a chance to approach the courts on defections instead of giving sole authority to the Speaker. He also opined that the Election Commission should be clothed with powers to initiate action against the defectors.
K Ramachandra Murthy said the persons elected constitutionally were behaving against the Constitution. He opined that there was a need to initiate stringent action against the defectors. Former Justice Laxmana Reddy suggested that there was a need to amend Schedule 10 in the Constitution. He also opined that there was a need to debate on Speaker system. M Padmanbha Reddy, Prof. Trilochana Shastri, S Srinivas Reddy, Dr P Bhaskar Rao, Dr Rao Chelikani, M Veeranna and B Ramakrishna Raju and others participated in the program. (NSS)