Kerala Speaker N Sakthan has suspended five Opposition MLAs from the truncated budget session of the State Assembly on charges of damaging the Speaker's dais, toppling his chair and wrecking his mike.
This sparked instant protests from the Opposition, forcing the Chief Minister to recommend adjournment of the session for the day.
VOTE ON ACCOUNT
The Speaker later announced that the Assembly would meet again on Monday next when it would likely take up a vote on account, consider the appropriation Bill, and pass supplementary demands.
This would mean that the Government is seeking to pass the budget without a discussion on the floor of the Assembly in view of sustained Opposition protests.
EXEMPTIONS ANNOUNCED
Meanwhile, Finance Minister KM Mani announced in the short session during the morning exemptions worth Rs 260 crore in the budget that he had proposed on Friday last.
Tax on essential items, including rice, wheat, atta, sugar and coconut oil, have been scrapped after leaders of individual parties of the ruling front expressed the wish at a meeting earlier today.