CM says Oppn stalled proceedings on withdrawn GO

Hyderabad, Feb 23 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy alleged that the Opposition had unnecessarily wasted valuable time of the Assembly and forced its adjournment for the day today, without transacting any business on a GO that was withdrawn.

He was referring to the pandemonium created by the Opposition in the house earlier, protesting against the issuance of GO 938 which empowered the Special Commissioner Information and Public Relations ''to lodge a complaint and for filing defamation cases through a Special Public Prosecutor against publishers and editors and to initiate legal action'' on defamatory and baseless reports.

The GO also said the Government would ratify the action already taken by the Commissioner in having forwarded such cases for legal action.

Speaking to mediapersons, the Chief Minister said he had ordered withdrawal of the GO soon after it came to his notice last night. The Government had also ordered an inquiry into how the GO was issued.

Though the GO was issued in the name of the Chief Secretary, it was issued at the level of the Additional Secretary, he added.

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