KTKA bypolls: Assembly session rescheduled for 3 days from Oct

The Karnataka cabinet on Monday decided to reschedule the assembly session for three days from October 10 to 12 at 'Vidhana Soudha', the state secretariat here, following the announcement of bypolls to 15 assembly constituencies on October 21.

The cabinet had earlier decided to hold the legislature session from October 14 to 26.

"As there is assembly by-election in Karnataka, the assembly session scheduled between October 14 to 26 has been rescheduled for three days from October 10-12," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said during the session discussion will be on budget and its passage, or else payments may get affected.

During the session we will place the supplementary budget, if passed it will become regular budget, or else we will take vote on account. We will not be making any announcement in the supplementary budget, but will appropriate the expenditures that have happened," he added.

Soon after proving his government's majority on the floor of the assembly on July 29, Yediyurappa, who also holds Finance portfolio, had sought a vote on account to spend for the next three months - from August 1 till October 31.

The Election Commission on Saturday had announced that by-elections to constituencies, represented by 15 out of 17 disqualified former Congress-JD(S) legislators, will be held on October 21 and results will be declared on October 24.

The session will be held at 'Vidhana Soudha', the state secretariat here, and not in Belagavi, as is the practice, as most parts of the district have been ravaged by floods.

Other decisions taken by the cabinet include setting up a diagnostic laboratory to diagnose the Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) or Monkey Fever, in Shivamogga district, where there is outbreak of the disease.

It has been decided to release Rs 5 crore for this purpose, the Minister added.

The cabinet has decided to construct the Rs 50 crore Anubhava Mantapa at Basava Kalyana and initially Rs 20 crore will be released immediately for this purpose.

During the celebration of Kalyana Karnataka Liberation Day on September 17 in Kalaburagi there was pressure on the Chief Minister to declare the project to commemorate the celebration, following which the Chief Minister had made this promise of Anubhava Mantapa, Madhuswamy added.

The Mantapa, considered to be the first religious parliament, was established by social reformer Basava in the 12th Century at Basavakalyan in Bidar district of Karnataka.