AIADMK demands Speaker to guarantee live telecast of LoP speeches in assembly session

CHENNAI: AIADMK chief whip S P Velumani on Wednesday demanded live telecast of the speeches of Leader of Opposition (LoP) Edappadi K Palaniswami in the Tamil Nadu Assembly and increased the number of assembly sessions to give ample opportunity for the legislators to flag issues related to their respective constituencies.

"The speeches of the Leader of Opposition, particularly on people's issues, are not being broadcasted live. We raised the issue and insisted that his speeches should be live streamed, " said Velumani after attending the Business Advisory Committee meeting chaired by Speaker M Appavu at Secretariat ahead of the assembly session that would kick-start on June 20 and continue till June 29.

On the shortened assembly session on demand for grants for various departments for fiscal year 2024-2025, he said that the DMK made a poll promise that they would conduct assembly for 100 days a year.

It did not happen and the shortened assembly proceedings denied opportunity for several MLAs to speak about the people related issues in their respective constituencies.

"We want them to fulfill their promise by increasing the number of assembly proceedings. It will give opportunity for the legislators to air issues related to their constituency, " he said, who attended the meeting along with deputy LoP R B Udhayakumar.

He continued the representatives of other opposition parties have also put forth the similar demand, but the Speaker is justifying the decision citing the by-poll for Vikravandi assembly segment on July 10.

"The assembly session is only for eight days. So, we have mooted the idea of resuming the session after the by-poll, " he said and added that they have received a negative response for demand for extended session.