Siddaramaiah Rebukes Ministers For House Chaos, Assembly Speaker Walks Out
UT Khader adjourns House over inadequate ministerial responses; Siddaramaiah warns departments.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah publicly reprimanded his ministers after Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader staged a dramatic walkout on March 16, 2026, citing persistent delays in providing written replies to MLAs' questions. Khader adjourned the House in frustration, declaring he would not resume proceedings until ministers and departmental secretaries offered explanations for the lapses. The incident exposed administrative bottlenecks within the Congress-led government during a key session of the 16th Assembly.
Speaker Khader highlighted multiple prior warnings, noting that only 90 out of 245 questions tabled for the day's session had received responses, with many pending from earlier sittings spanning 2023-2026. He criticized the low number of questions addressed in calling attention motions—fewer than 15—and frequent quorum issues due to ministerial absences. "How can we run this House this way?" Khader questioned before storming out, emphasizing the impact on legislative functioning.
In response, Siddaramaiah wrote directly to his cabinet colleagues, expressing concern over departments' failure to reply promptly, which he said inconvenienced legislators, embarrassed the government, and undermined the Assembly's dignity. He directed chief secretaries to demand explanations from errant officials and ensure MLAs receive timelines for pending responses via formal letters. Home Minister G. Parameshwara later confirmed a meeting involving the CM, Speaker, opposition leader R. Ashok, and chief secretary Shalini Rajneesh to address the issue decisively.
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The opposition BJP seized the moment, with Leader of Opposition R. Ashok labeling it a "governance crisis" and demanding suspensions for negligent officials. BJP MLA V. Sunil Kumar echoed calls for accountability, pointing to specific departments like Housing, where only 4 of 31 questions were answered. State BJP president BY Vijayendra termed the episode a "dark chapter" in Assembly history, accusing the government of weakness.
This flare-up occurs amid a packed legislative agenda, including budget discussions and welfare scheme implementations, where timely responses are crucial for opposition scrutiny and public oversight. Khader's unprecedented action underscores his commitment to House discipline since taking the Speaker's chair. The government has pledged stricter measures, including potential notices to secretaries, to prevent recurrences and restore procedural efficiency.
As the session continues, all eyes remain on whether disciplinary steps materialize and replies flow faster. The episode highlights broader challenges in Karnataka's administration, balancing political priorities with bureaucratic responsiveness under Siddaramaiah's veteran leadership. Political analysts see it as a test of the Congress coalition's cohesion ahead of local polls.
