House panel to look into complaints of officers violating protocol

Legislators say that officers are refusing to meet them or take their calls

Accusing bureaucrats of “defiance”, the Delhi Assembly on Monday passed a resolution to set up a committee to look into MLAs’ complaints against officers for violating protocol and disrespecting elected representatives.

The resolution, moved by AAP MLA Vishesh Ravi, came amid an ongoing cold war between the political executive and the bureaucracy in the Delhi government.

After AAP MLAs allegedly attacked Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence on February 19, the officers have been boycotting meetings and sticking to only written communication with the political executive, and are demanding that Mr. Kejriwal apologise.

Both AAP and BJP MLAs, however, on Monday said that the tussle between the government and officers had spilled over to the legislators, leading the House to pass the resolution forming a nine-member committee.

MLAs complained that officers were refusing to meet them or answer phone calls and text messages.

The “House Committee on Violation of Protocol Norms and Contemptuous Behaviour by Government Officers with MLAs” will examine complaints received via the Speaker and would follow the same procedure for inquiry as the Privileges Committee does.

Earlier in the day, the House passed another resolution condemning officers’ behaviour and directing the Chief Secretary to ensure that officers deal with elected representatives according to laid-down procedures.

“Officers are duty-bound to meet MLAs and follow the protocol... Irrespective of whether the government gets along with officers, no officer can refuse to meet MLAs,” said AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj.

BJP MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that the Chief Minister should apologise to the Chief Secretary to end the ongoing tension.

Referring to Mr. Kejriwal’s recent apologies to Union Minister Arun Jaitley and former Punjab Minister Bikram Singh Majithia to settle defamation cases, Mr. Sirsa said: “If the CM can apologise to an ex-Punjab Minister and Mr. Jaitley... why not the Chief Secretary? Why is this ego battle going on?”

Hitting back, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel said that the “BJP has ruined Delhi”.