The Andhra Pradesh Assembly will reconvene on 18th September for another session. As always, questions have resurfaced about whether Jagan Mohan Reddy and his YSR Congress MLAs will attend the proceedings.
Jagan has stayed away from the Assembly since taking oath, claiming he was not given the official status of Opposition Leader. Except for one attendance during the Governor’s address, he has been absent from all sessions.
Speaking to the media, Deputy Speaker Raghu Rama Krishna Raju said that Jagan could face disqualification under Article 190(4) of the Indian Constitution. This clause allows disqualification of MLAs absent from all meetings for 60 days without formal permission.
The Deputy Speaker also clarified that Opposition status cannot be granted unless a party has at least 18 MLAs in the house. This clearly reflects the government’s stand it is unwilling to meet Jagan’s demand for Opposition recognition.
In a surprising twist, several YSR Congress MLAs are reportedly marking their attendance without actually entering the Assembly. This is being done to avoid disqualification. Speaker Ayyannapathrudu had raised the issue in the last session, questioning how MLAs could draw salaries while skipping their duties.
The Speaker said he would consult the rule book and experts, and if needed, refer the matter to the Ethics Committee. A final decision may be expected during this upcoming session.
