Hyderabad:
Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar has expressed his displeasure over frequent by-elections, forced by resignation of sitting legislators.
"The state has witnessed 65 by-elections in the last six years due to resignation of MLAs. This is resulting in wastage of public money on conduct of elections besides paralysing administration and causing hardship to people," Mr Manohar told newsmen in an informal chat on completing one year as the Speaker today.
Minutes after his informal meeting, two Congress MLAs - Sujaya Krishna Ranga Rao of Bobbili and Alla Krishna Srinivas (Nani) of Eluru - met Mr Manohar to submit their resignations from the membership of the Assembly.
Both the MLAs have also quit the Congress to formally join Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress. If their resignations are accepted, the ruling party's strength in the state Assembly will fall to 151 - just three more than the magic figure of 148. Two more MLAs - Dwarapudi Chandrasekhar Reddy and Savarapu Jayamani - have also expressed solidarity with Mr Reddy and are expected to resign from their posts soon.
The Speaker said the Law Commission recommended that legislators who resign from their posts or those disqualified should not be allowed to contest afresh till the next general elections. "The Government of India is yet to enact a legislation in this regard," he said.
Meanwhile, sources say that Manohar will present a paper at the Conference of Presiding Officers at Patna in September putting forth his views on the legislators' resignation issue.