Bengaluru: For the first time, Karnataka Assembly will hold a special session on March 2-3 to mark the 70th year of the country adopting the Constitution in 1950, an official said on Saturday.
“Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri has convened a special session to mark the 70th year of the Constitution on March 2-3 ahead of the state budget for fiscal 2020-21 on March 5,” a state legislature official told IANS here.
Though India became independent on August 15, 1947, the Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution on November 26, 1949 and it came into effect on January 26, 1950 with a democratic government system to become a republic.
“Lawmakers across party lines will speak in the House on the Indian Constitution, seek clarifications and enlighten others on its salient features and powers for clean governance,” said the official.
The two-day special session will also focus on the intent and speciality of the Constitution to enable the legislators perform better in the Assembly.
The state legislature, comprising Assembly and Council will meet initially for three days on February 17-19 and resume from March 2 for the two-day special session and continue till March 31.
“As it is customary, state Governor Vajubhai Vala will address a joint session of the legislature on Monday for the first time in the new year in Hindi, which will be discussed under the motion of thanks on his speech,” the official noted.
Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, who also holds the finance portfolio, will present the state budget for fiscal 2020-21 on March 5 and the members will debate on it before passing the finance bill, which will come into effect from April 1, 2020.
In the 225-member Assembly, including one nominated, the ruling BJP has 117, opposition Congress 68, Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) 34, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) one, Independents 2 and vacant 2.
The speaker, however, ruled out allowing the opposition to raise controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), much less passing a resolution on it unlike in some other states.
“The month-long session will discuss the state budget and six other bills the state government will introduce for their passage,” the official added.
The BJP, which returned to power over 6 months ago on July 26 in the southern state, won 12 of the 15 Assembly seats where by-elections were held on December 5, for the vacancies caused by the resignations of the 14 former Congress and 3 former JD-S rebels.
The Congress won 2 and an Independent won the remaining 3 seats while the JD-S drew blank.
