K’taka govt answered only 58 of 221 questions; Speaker warns Ministers
Bengaluru: Karnataka Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader on Tuesday said the government had taken serious note of delays in providing answers to legislators’ questions.
He stated that directions had been issued to the concerned ministers and officials to ensure replies are submitted promptly.
The issue surfaced a day after the Speaker adjourned the Assembly on Monday, sharply criticising the Congress-led government for failing to provide answers to unstarred questions despite repeated warnings from the Chair.
Home Minister G. Parameshwara informed the House that out of 221 questions listed for the day, answers to only 58 would be placed before the Assembly. He said the government had already discussed the matter and taken corrective steps.
Parameshwara added that the government had treated the matter seriously on Monday (March 16) and had issued instructions to ministers and the Chief Secretary. He said the Chief Minister had warned that suspensions could be ordered if answers were not provided, and expressed confidence that the situation would improve from the next day.
Speaker Khader also detailed the status of responses from various departments, noting that several ministries had failed to submit responses to a large number of questions.
According to him, the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) had received 23 questions but answered only six. The Finance Department had responded to six out of 33 questions. The Scheduled Tribes Welfare Department had not submitted replies to any of the nine questions asked, and the Youth Empowerment and Sports Department had also failed to answer any of the 10 questions addressed to it.
Similarly, the Cooperation Department had not answered any of the 12 questions, while the Water Resources Department had responded to only four of the 33 questions. The Urban Development Department had answered 8 of 21 questions, and the Tourism Department had submitted only 1 reply out of 25. In contrast, the Minor Irrigation Department responded to 8 of 13 questions.
Khader said the matter had been discussed on Monday and that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had issued directions to ensure answers were provided. He acknowledged that preparing responses might take two to three days but stressed that officers must take the issue seriously.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA Mahesh Tenginakayi expressed displeasure over the Chief Minister’s Office seeking additional time to provide answers to his questions. He said that by the time replies were received, the Assembly session might already be over, asking what use the answers would be after the session ended.
Intervening, Speaker Khader said the MLA was known for punctual attendance and that it was natural for him to feel disappointed. He assured Tenginakayi that he would speak to the Chief Minister and ensure the answers were provided.
On Monday, Khader had expressed strong dissatisfaction, stating that the government had been warned several times to ensure replies were prepared in time. He had questioned how MLAs could be expected to attend the Assembly if their questions were not answered, noting that he had issued strict orders four times and that this was the fifth.
Stating that there had been no improvement, the Speaker had asked how the House could function smoothly if such lapses continued. He had declared that proceedings would not continue until ministers and officials explained the reasons for the delay, and subsequently adjourned the House.
Khader had also convened a meeting on Monday with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka, Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, and senior Congress leaders regarding the unanswered questions, which had earlier led him to adjourn the House.