Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel. (File Photo)
Since the Budget session began on March 16, Delhi Assembly Speaker has sent around a dozen matters pertaining to bureaucrats refusing to answer questions by legislators to different House panels. Sources said the committees will submit their reports — on officers of different departments of the government — in the House, after which action will be taken. The Budget Session began on March 16 and will end on April 3.
In March, the Union Law Ministry, in a communication to the L-G’s office, said the Speaker cannot legally admit questions on any “reserved subject”, and departments concerned have been refusing answers to questions by MLAs in the House on subjects such as land, police, services and law and order among others. This was sent by the Law Ministry through the Union Home Ministry on March 19. “The L-G and officers cannot challenge the authority of the Assembly. Once the committees file their reports, action will be taken against officers who have either refused to answer questions or have not submitted proper reply,” Goel said.
The focus on House panels is likely to continue, with bureaucrats alleging that the panels are being used to target officers. A case to the effect, by three bureaucrats, is being heard in the High Court.
On March 19, the Speaker had forwarded a matter pertaining to vigilance department officers refusing to answer a written question by an MLA to the Privilege Committee for probe. Goel, on March 20, forwarded four matters to the Question and Reference Committee after AAP MLAs complained that officers did not submit proper answers.
Of the 40 written questions by legislators in the House, departments declined to provide answers to 17, saying they fall under the “reserved subject” category. In protest against the Centre and the L-G, Goel, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Delhi ministers and AAP legislators wore black bands on March 28.