Thiruvananthapuram: Speaker N Shaktan on Wednesday stayed away from the proceedings in the Assembly in an act of protest against the criticism of Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala against him.
Although Shaktan reached the office in the Assembly building in the morning, he did not turn up when the House began. It was deputy speaker Palod Ravi who controlled the proceedings.
Chennithala had criticised the Speaker on Tuesday amid the proceedings on a bill related to expatriates. “The Speaker should learn about the Assembly proceedings. Bills cannot be passed with the heedlessness of making a dosa,” Chennithala said.
He criticised the Speaker for directing the House to complete the proceedings early in the wake of the visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. Shaktan had directed to cut down the discussions in the House as the ministers had to meet the Prime Minister.
Chennithala demanded that a time limit should not be put on the legislative discussions. “It is not right to control the members in the House amid the process of legislation,” he said.