Bengaluru: The 10-day Monsoon Session of the State Assembly began at Vidhana Soudha here this morning. 

Soon as the session began, both the Houses paid rich tributes to the passing away of personalities such as multi-lingual actress B. Sarojadevi, former ISRO Chairman and former RS MP Dr. K. Kasturi Rangan, veteran writers G.S. Siddalingaiah and H.S. Venkatesh Murthy, former Karnataka Minister Begane Ramaiah, former Legislators Kakasaheb Patil, N. Rajanna, Derrick Fullinfaw, N. Thippanna, David Simeon, renowned Agricultural Scientist Dr. Subbanna Aiyyappan, Nuclear Scientist M.R. Sreenivasan, Pope Francis and others.

The Houses also condoled the death of 11 youths in the stampede that occurred at the entrance of M. Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru during RCB victory celebrations, victims of Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir and over 260  people who died in the Ahmedabad air crash recently.

After paying condolences, Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader explained the House on the achievements of the deceased personalities.

Later, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Opposition Leader R. Ashok, Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwar, JD(S) Legislature Party leader C.B. Suresh Babu, BJP member  Araga Gnanendra and others too made obituary references to the departed leaders and personalities.

The House paid condolence to the departed by observing a one-minute silence.

As many as 17 pieces of Legislation, including the Greater Bengaluru (Amendment) Bill, the Karnataka Land Reforms and Certain Others Laws (Amendment) Bill and the Karnataka Ground Water (Regulation for Protection of Sources of Drinking Water) Bill, are likely to be tabled during the Assembly Session which concludes on Aug.22.