By Chief Minister N

Copyright thehindu

The Puducherry Assembly on Thursday (September 18, 2025) passed key legislations, including a Bill to simplify procedures for starting businesses and improving service delivery, after Speaker R. Selvam ordered the eviction of Opposition legislators for “creating a ruckus” over the drinking water issues faced by residents of the Union Territory (UT).

As the House met for a day’s session at around 9.30 a.m, the Speaker took up obituary references to Pope Francis, who passed away in Vatican in April 2025, and other important political personalities, before moving on to the government’s other legislative agenda, which included a resolution congratulating C.P. Radhakrishnan on assuming the office of Vice-President of India.

When the Speaker took up the business of tabling the Bills by Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, Opposition leader and DMK convenor R. Siva was on his feet demanding an extension of the Assembly session so that legislators were given adequate time to discuss the “serious” drinking water problem confronting the people of the UT.

Supporting his demand, the other DMK and Congress legislators too joined the protest, and asked the government to prolong the session for at least 10 days.

Independent legislator Nehru, alias Kuppusamy, staged a separate protest in the House over the drinking water issue. When his mic was turned off, Mr. Nehru trooped into the well of the House and handed over a memorandum to the Chief Minister. In the meantime, Mr. Siva led the Opposition legislators also to the well of the House and launched an agitation by squatting on the floor.

As the protest intensified, the Speaker directed the Assembly marshals to evict all the members who entered the well of the House. On the directions of the Speaker, the marshals physically removed Mr. Siva and DMK legislator Senthil Kumar from the House. The other Opposition legislators and Mr. Nehru were later escorted out of the House.

After their removal from the House, the Opposition legislators continued their protest inside the premises of the Assembly until it was adjourned at about 10.20 a.m.

Bills passed

Before the House got adjourned, the government passed the Puducherry Ease of Doing Business (Service Delivery) Bill, 2025, and brought amendments to the Puducherry Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Puducherry Municipalities (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Puducherry Village and Commune Panchayats (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Puducherry Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Bill 2025.

Resolution praising PM, FM

The Chief Minister also moved a resolution praising the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in revamping the Goods and Services Tax (GST). He thanked Mr. Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for initiating the GST reforms aimed at bringing down the prices of commodities and ensuring economic growth.