Are strict laws needed to ensure MLAs attend Assembly sessions?

Former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and his 10 YSRCP MLAs had boycotted the Assembly as the Speaker has refused to give the status of LoP to Jagan as they do not have the required strength in Assembly. The decision of YSRCP not to attend the Assembly has come in for sharp criticism from the TDP and alliance partners and the APCC chief Y S Sharmila. The TDP-led alliance is demanding that rules be amended to disqualify those who continuously boycott the Assembly. Y S Sharmila has demanded her brother’s resignation in case he lacks the boldness to attend the Assembly session and question the NDA alliance government’s “anti-people policies”. The Hans India presents the people’s voice here on this issue.

If an MLA was found to be absent continuously and deliberately from the Assembly session as the YSRCP legislators are doing now, they should be immediately disqualified. People elect their representatives to represent their issues in Assembly and not for any other political purposes. They are supposed to be lawmakers not lawbreakers.

Nagarapu Uma Maheswara Rao

Just as schools are essential for students and offices for employees, the Legislative Assembly is crucial for lawmakers. Every legislator must recognise attending the Assembly as their primary duty and responsibility. Those unable to fulfil this responsibility are unfit for their position. Hence, strict laws should ensure that every representative attends at least 75 per cent of sessions. After all, they are paid with public funds.

P Rohith, engineering student, Chittoor

It is the responsibility of every legislator to attend the Assembly session and raise the people’s issues because they are elected by people for that purpose. They must fulfill their responsibility. Strict laws should be enacted to disqualify those who boycott Assembly. They cannot be MLAs for five years without performing their work.

Y David Raju, senior advocate, Vijayawada

YSRCP MLAs should attend the Assembly and voice the concerns of the people. Declaring they will only participate if opposition status is given is not right. Boycotting Assembly sessions contradicts their responsibility to constituents. If they choose not to attend, they should also refrain from accepting salaries as they are going away from their primary duty of representing the people.

V Amal Kumar, graphic designer, Madanapalle

Assembly is the one of the most important institutions and hence the MLAs who take oath on Constitution must attend the Assembly and enact laws and discuss people’s issues. We are seeing that the opposition MLAs are not attending the Assembly session. MLAs who don’t attend the Assembly should be disqualified immediately. Parliament should enact law for disqualification of such MLAs.

P Srinivasa Rao, advocate, Vijayawada

To gain the opposition tag, it is better the YSRCP MLAs attend Assembly sessions regularly rather than approaching the court. If the YSRCP MLAs engage in effective debates in the Assembly, highlighting the constituency issues and failures of the State government, they can entertain hopes of at least securing the opposition tag in the next elections.

Samayam Hemanth Kumar, AP Nirudyoga JAC State president, Visakhapatnam

Those who get elected as MLAs should have the basic responsibility of attending the Assembly sessions and bringing constituency issues forward. And the ones who cannot do so are ineligible for the post. However, skipping Assembly sessions is not new to the YSRCP. The Assembly Speaker should take a call on such MLAs and disqualify them.

S Sudhakar, Dalit leader, Visakhapatnam

A law should be enforced to act against MLAs who avoid attending Assembly sessions deliberately. Similar action should be taken against those who abstain from the Assembly sessions without any valid reason.

S R Vemana, Visakhapatnam