Puducherry Assembly session to convene on September 20: Speaker

Puducherry Assembly to convene on Sep 20. Speaker R. Selvam ready to refer land return case to CBI if V. Vaithilingam agrees. Selvam alleges irregularities in land return & electric cable laying. Will recommend CBI probe in Assembly session.

The fourth session of the 15th Puducherry Assembly will commence on September 20, Speaker R. Selvam said on Sunday, September 10, 2023.

Addressing a press conference in Puducherry he said the session will start at 9.30 a.m. The duration of the session will be decided by the Business Advisory Committee.

Referring to Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee chief V. Vaithilingam’s demand asking him to apologise over a charge levelled against the former on returning a plot of private land, acquired for the construction of a new Assembly complex at Thattanchavady, to the same owner, Mr. Selvam said he had nothing to worry about. He was even prepared to refer the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) if Mr. Vaithilingam gave his consent.

The Speaker recalled the land was first acquired during the tenure of Mr. Vaithilingam as Chief Minister. After the Madras High Court directed that the land be returned to the owner in 2009, the then Lt. Governor had also given permission. However, the land was returned only after nine years in 2018 when Mr. Vaithilingam was the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

Mr. Selvam alleged irregularities over the haste shown in returning the land and said he was prepared to refer the matter to the CBI.

The Speaker also alleged irregularities in the laying of electric underground cables from Poornankuppam to Pudukuppam and Kalapet by the Project Implementation Agency (PIA) under the Coastal Disaster Risk Reduction Project (CDRRP). He said he would recommend for a detailed probe by the CBI in the forthcoming Assembly session.