Belagavi: The two-day deadlock over BJP MLA Prabhu Chavan viewing Priyanka Gandhi’s pictures during the House proceedings ended on Friday with Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa banning the use of mobile phone in the Assembly with immediate effect.
The Speaker also suspended Chavan from attending the session on Friday.
Thimmappa cautioned Housing Minister M H Ambareesh and Congress MLA S S Mallikarjun against using mobile phone and indulging in such indecent behaviour in future.
The BJP members withdrew their protest and requested the Chair to give its ruling on the issue. Thimmappa said he was convinced that Chavan was viewing images on the mobile phone in an indecent manner.
Chavan, who was present in the House when the ruling was given, was seen walking out once the punishment was announced. Ambareesh and Mallikarjun were not present.
The Speaker said that as per the recommendation of a House committee, the use of mobile phone in the Assembly has been banned. The committee was formed after BJP MLAs were caught watching porn on mobile phone in the Assembly in 2012.
In the Legislative Council, Chairman D H Shankaramurthy has already imposed restriction on the use of mobile phone. Shankaramurthy said that there would be no ban on bringing mobile phone, but it cannot be used. If anyone is caught using mobile phone, it will be seized immediately.
