Mumbai, March 13 (IANS) The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Friday directed the Legislative Affairs Minister Chandrakant Patil to submit report on MArch 16 over the action taken against the Additional Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries who were not present during the discussion on budget grants on departments of urban development, social justice and special assistance, housing, tourism and cultural affairs and other backward classes welfare.

The Speaker gave his directive after the NCP SP legislator and former minister Jayant Patil brought to the notice of the chair that, despite his earlier directions, none of the bureaucrats of the rank of additional chief secretary and principal secretary was present in the officers’ gallery during the discussion on budget grants.

Patil urged the Speaker to take a serious note and give suitable direction.

Speaker Rahul Narwekar admitted that it was a serious matter and directed the Legislative Affairs Minister Chandrakant Patil to present to the house on Monday on the action taken against the additional chief secretaries and principal secretaries for their absence during today’s discussion.

Earlier, Speaker Rahul Narwekar on March 10 had issued a stern warning to bureaucracy, stating that the House is fully empowered to take appropriate action if secretary-level officers are found absent from the gallery during crucial legislative discussions.

The warning came during the budget discussion in the Assembly. It was observed that only four ministers were present in the House, and the officers’ gallery remained largely vacant.

Highlighting this lapse, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Speaker Dilip Walse Patil raised the issue of administrative absenteeism.

Walse Patil remarked that the budget is the most critical subject of the House.

“During this debate, senior officials, including the Chief Secretary, Finance Secretary, and Planning Secretary are expected to be present in the lobby to take note of the members’ sentiments and suggestions. If we are to maintain the quality of discussion in the House, such debates must be treated with the necessary seriousness,” he said.

He further emphasised that senior departmental heads must be present during department-specific discussions as well.

Concurring with Walse Patil’s stance, Speaker Rahul Narwekar stated, “The point raised regarding the presence of officials is valid. Although this is an ‘invisible gallery,’ it is mandatory for all senior IAS officers to be present. Officials have been informed of this via correspondence previously.”

Issuing a final ultimatum to the state’s administrative machinery, Narwekar added, “This is the last chance for the administration. Moving forward, if Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) level officers are not present in the gallery during such important discussions, the House is capable of taking disciplinary action against them.”

–IANS

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