Extended budget session starts today

Amid uncertainty of participation by principle opposition Congress and boycott by JD(S), the 10-day extended session of Karnataka legislatures will begin here tomorrow.

The JD(S) has already declared that its 26 members will not attend the session protesting against continuance of Speaker K G Bopaiah in office despite strictures passed against him by the Supreme Court while quashing his order disqualifying 16 MLAs. Besides JD(S), Congress has also been demanding for resignation of Bopaiah, who has firmly ruled out his stepping down. Addressing reporters on the eve of the session, Bopaiah asserted that he would not resign as there were no strictures against him by the Supreme Court and maintained “they are only observations”.

“Let wisdom fall on opposition parties and they attend the session. I wish them well. I don’t want to comment further,” Bopaiah said. The Congress is expected to announce its stand on attending the session by this evening.

The 10-day session will discuss and vote financial bills pertaining to demand for grants of 28 departments for the year 2011-12. CM had sought a vote-on-account till July 31 and now wants to allocate funds for all programs by passing the full budget.