Ker Assembly discusses no-trust motion against Speaker

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 21 (PTI): The opposition UDFon Thursday moved a no-confidence motion in the KeralaAssembly against Speaker P Sreeramakrishnanin the wake ofallegations against him in the dollar smuggling case and overextravagance in the various construction activities taken upin the House complex.

Though the ruling Left front initially objected to theresolution citing technical reasons, the House later decidedto discussthe matter.

Minutes before the beginning of the presentation ofthe motion, Sreeramakrishnan left the Speaker's dais anddeputy speaker P Sasi began to preside over the proceedings.

M Ummer (IUML) presented the motion seeking theremoval of the Speaker.

He said the resolution was not for personal orpolitical reasons but to protect the dignity of the House.

''Serious allegations are cropping up against theSpeaker every day. It is said that he will be questioned bythe central agencies after the culmination of the ongoingassembly session,'' Ummer said.

The Speaker's alleged personal connections with thegold smuggling accused and his participation in an inauguralfunction of a workshop related to them had brought disgrace tothe House, he said.

He also alleged that various construction activitiescarried out in the Assembly complex recently were nottransparent.

However, S Sharma (CPI-M) strongly objected to theresolution saying that it was a violation of assembly rules.

The lone BJP member in the Assembly, O Rajagopalbacked the Congress-led UDF's no-trust motion against theSpeaker.

Meanwhile, Youth Congress activists burnt the effigyof the Speaker during a protest outside the Assemblycomplex.PTI LGK SSPTI PTI

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)