K''taka Legislative Council chairperson Horatti takes exception to CID probing C T Ravi episode

Bengaluru, Jan 12 (PTI) The Chairperson of the Karnataka Legislative Council, Basavaraja S Horatti, has taken exception to the CID probing the episode involving BJP MLC C T Ravi allegedly using foul words against Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar inside the council in Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi on December 19 last year.
In a letter to state Home Minister G Parameshwara on January 10, Horatti underlined that he has already given his verdict on the episode, which is final.
The letter was shared with the media on Sunday.
"The chair has already given its verdict after reviewing the Constitution of India, the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of the Karnataka Legislative Council, the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, Kaul and Shakter's Practice and Procedure of Parliament and Subhash Kashyap's Balimantori Procedures regarding the incident that took place in the Legislative Council of the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, Belgaum on 19.12.2024," the council Chairperson said.
He further said, "The chairperson, being a constitutional post, has the sovereign power over the parliamentary system and process, and the House has the power to punish its members for disorderly conduct or other abuses in the House while it is in session."
Accordingly, the chairperson has the power to maintain the traditions that have been followed so far and to control the proceedings within the premises of the House, and his decision is final, Horatti added.
He said it seems that the executive is allowing a constitutional conflict by entrusting the case to the CID, in violation of parliamentary procedure and process and the special powers granted to the legislature and the Speaker in the Constitution of India.
The Chairperson said that there should be no premise of unnecessary conflict between the legislature and the executive.
"It is a matter of course for you to know that the incident that took place in the Legislative Council falls within the purview of the Chairperson, and we, the Executive and the Legislative, must perform our respective duties with mutual respect within the framework of the Constitution," he said.
Noting that Parameshwara has vast experience of working in various institutions of the Constitution, he exuded confidence in him that he will perform his duties under the Constitution.
"Accordingly, I trust that you will handle this case keeping in mind the special rights provided to the Legislature/MLAs in the framework of the Constitution and the rights vested in the Speaker in parliamentary procedures and processes, and the sovereignty of the House," Horatti said.
Reacting to it, Parameshwara told reporters here on Sunday that he has not received the letter though he came to know about Horatti’s letter in the media.
"I will first see what is there in the letter, after which I will get the advice of legal experts and law department. We will do whatever is within the framework of law," the Home Minister said.
He said the matter has been handed over to the CID to find out the truth behind the incident to put an end to the confusions.
The police registered an FIR against Ravi on December 19, 2024 for allegedly using derogatory words against Hebbalkar and arrested him the same evening.
He was finally released on the High Court order which maintained that his arrest was prima facie illegal for not following the due process of law.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)