Maharashtra Assembly passes Appropriation Bill

MUMBAI: High drama was witnessed in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly today when the opposition combine of BJP and Shiv Sena sought a division of vote at the consideration stage of Appropriation Bill.

After the bill was passed by a voice vote, Speaker Dilip Walse Patil accepted Opposition's demand for a division of vote and called for a head count.

The bill was passed with 105 members voting in its favour and 72 opposing it.

"Next time, we demand a poll...It should be accepted immediately," said Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Eknath Khadse.

An appropriation bill is a legislative motion (bill) which authorises the government to spend money.

Walse Patil, who was in the Chair when the bill was passed by a majority vote, said as per the legislative rules, all budgetary demands have been approved by the House and hence the motion for passage of Appropriation Bill can not be opposed.

"New precedent should not be set," the Speaker said, adding that the government should consider the demands of the Opposition legislators.

After the bill was passed, Khadse said the Opposition succeeded in "exposing" the government.

"This government is so insensitive that it did not consider the Speaker's request to consider the Opposition's demands," the BJP leader said.

Earlier, when Presiding Officer Nawab Malik ( NCP) was in the Chair, Khadse lamented that undue time was being wasted to enable the treasury benches to come to the house.

"Next time, we demand a poll, it should be accepted immediately," he said.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA Chandrashekhar Bavankule demanded that the government make an announcement to increase the MLA fund, salaries of PAs of legislators and in air travel perks.

Babanrao Gholap (Shiv Sena) said he was the member of a committee, which decides on perks and salaries of legislators.

"What is important is to increase the MLA fund and the government should make an announcement to this effect," Gholap said.

However, turning down the demand, Minister of State for Finance Rajendra Mulak said, "the priority of the government was to allocate funds for drought relief".

To this, Khadse said the hike in the MLA fund will help in drought relief in respective constituencies. "The money will not go in our pockets," he added.

Khadse alleged that the government was "conspiring" to prevent opposition legislators from getting funds for developmental works in their constituencies.

"Congress and NCP wanted to ensure that state's funds are equally distributed in constituencies held by the two parties", he alleged.