For 10 yrs, govts have not followed 60-day session rule

Bengaluru: No government has been following the rule that the legislature should be in session for at least 60 days a year for 10 years, and this year the session has been held for only 29 days.

In 2024, the legislature session, which will begin with the joint session in which the Governor addresses the two houses, was limited to 29 days, including the budget session, winter and monsoon sessions. It was decided to hold the winter session for 10 days. However, it was shortened by one day in the wake of the Kannada Sahitya Sammelana. During the session, a 1-day holiday was declared in the wake of the death of former CM SM Krishna, so the session lasted for 8 days.

Although there have been repeated demands to hold the session for more than 60 days a year, the governments are not giving in to it. Since the 58-day session of the Legislative Assembly in 2015, there has been no example of such a long session. In 2023, the year of elections, the session was held for 11 days during the BJP government and for 28 days after the Congress government came to power.

The legislative sessions held from the 50s to the 80s are the best. They have lasted more than the 60 days set by the government. History was written by holding a session for 92 days in 1961, 98 days in 1963 and 97 days in 1973. There are examples of more than 60 days in other years.

Recent governments have lacked commitment. Holding a session for 60 days can shed more light on the problems of the people. In recent days, there has been more discussion about political issues than people's problems.

I have already written a letter to the Chief Minister to hold a session for at least 60 days. Speaker Basavaraj Horatti said that he will write a letter to the Chief Minister in this regard again and request him to hold a session for 60 days at least in the coming years.