The Assembly Committee on Privileges will meet shortly to decide on the complaint preferred by Congress legislator T. Djeamourthy against Finance Secretary V. Candavelou.
Mr. Djeamourthy had filed a complaint with the Committee on Monday against the Finance Secretary for issuing a note stating his inability to implement a standing order proclaimed by Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy on the procedures to be followed for obtaining approval for grant-in aid.
The Chief Minister had declared a circular issued by the Finance Secretary on getting prior approval of the Lt Governor as mandatory for release of grants-in aid as “null and void.”
The standing order had directed the Finance Secretary to provide a weekly compliance report. Just a few hours after the standing order became public, the Finance Secretary issued a note stating that the order issued by the Chief Minister was “unimplementable.”
Decision after meet
The Committee could not meet on Tuesday as Deputy Speaker V. P. Sivakolundhu who heads the panel would return to UT only on Wednesday. A source in the Assembly Secretariat told The Hindu that the Committee would meet after the Deputy Speaker arrived to decide on the future course of action.
In his complaint, the Congress legislator said the Finance Secretary had breached the privilege of the Assembly by defying a standing order issued by the Chief Minister pertaining to expenditure management. The budget passed by the Legislative Assembly had detailed about the income and expenditure, the complaint said.
A challenge
The Chief Minister had issued the standing order based on the provisions in the budget. Now by defying the order, the Finance Secretary had posed a challenge to the authority of the Legislative Assembly, he said.
Without even referring the standing order to thehigher-ups, the Finance Secretary through a note had expressed his inability to implement the order.
Mr. Narayanasamy, who returned on Tuesday after campaigning in Telangana refused to comment on the issue. Sources said the Chief Minister was exploring various options.