Hyderabad: Senior BRS leader and former minister Harish Rao wrote an open letter to Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad, sharply criticising the Assembly’s declining standards. He alleged that the Speaker had failed to enforce key legislative procedures, thereby weakening institutional integrity over the past two years.
Harish Rao flags procedural lapses
Rao stated that even after two years in office, the Speaker had not implemented basic rules that govern the Assembly. According to him, the number of working days had dropped significantly, which he described as a direct violation of Article 12 of the Constitution.
He also took aim at the failure to appoint a Deputy Speaker. Since the Deputy Speaker serves as Chairperson of the Privileges Committee, Rao argued that the committee had become defunct due to this inaction.
Assembly lacks oversight and transparency
Rao further alleged that the Speaker had failed to constitute House Committees for nearly two years. As a result, legislative scrutiny and accountability had suffered. He said Question Hour and Zero Hour were not being conducted properly, weakening the democratic process.
Moreover, Rao criticised the handling of legislative questions. He said the Assembly had not allowed starred questions for discussion and had restricted supplementary questions. Even worse, members had not received replies to unstarred questions—something he described as “deeply concerning.”
Speaker delaying disqualification cases
Rao also slammed the Speaker for dragging his feet on disqualification petitions. He claimed the Speaker had ignored court rulings that called for timely action. Urging immediate resolution, Rao demanded that the Speaker dispose of all pending cases in line with constitutional and legal norms.
This strongly worded letter signals deepening friction between the BRS and the ruling Congress. It also reflects mounting frustration within the opposition over what they describe as erosion of democratic functioning in the legislature.