Legislative council session at Vidhana Soudha on Wednesday
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: Members, cutting across party lines, in the legislative Council on Wednesday urged the government to put an immediate stop to the counselling process currently under way to transfer additional teachers at pre-university (PU) colleges.
Initiating the debate on the issue in the Council, Congress member Puttanna said that the counselling process was ignoring the generally accepted norm that lecturers above 50 years would not be classified under the ‘excess teachers’ category, thereby excluding them from the process.
The counselling process, however, resumed on Wednesday.
“I have received several petitions where the government is even shifting those who are slated for retirement in six months. Do the officials in the department have any knowledge of law,” asked Puttanna.
A furious Puttanna warned of locking the office of the Department of Pre-University Education if the counselling process was allowed to continue, in violation of the norms.“What do they think of us and the teachers? I will ensure that the department is locked and will not let any official to sit in the office if they don’t stick to the norms,” he warned.
The MLCs also expressed disappointment with Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Madhu Bangrappa’s absence in the House. JD(S) member S L Bhoje Gowda asked the chairman to call the minister to the House.
“Several questions and issues raised by us went unanswered. Of the 890 questions there are no replies to 607. Why are ministers not attending the House? What kind of work are officials doing?” he said.
Chairman of the Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti was among those who expressed disappointment over ministers not atttending the session, and answering important queries. Horatti proceeded to direct Leader of the House N S Boseraju to initiate action against officials who had failed to submit replies to the questions raised by members.
“This is very disappointing, You must submit a report detailing the action taken against officials to the House,” he told Boseraju.