Don’t meet officials when assembly in session: Puducherry CM to Kiran Bedi

Puducherry, July 5: Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said he would write to Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi not to hold meetings with officials when the assembly was in session as the officials could not be present in the House owing to such interactions.

He made the observations in the assembly after Speaker V Vaithilingam earlier in the day took a serious note of the absence of all Secretaries when the House assembled in the morning and adjourned the proceedings.

As the officials rushed to the House which reassembled after ten minutes, the Speaker warned of strict action under assembly privilege rules if the secretaries and heads of departments were not present in the officials' gallery.

Intervening, Narayanasamy said the assembly was a sacred place and its proceedings should be respected. Officers should not be absent during the session.

Noting that Bedi held discussions with officials at Raj Nivas even when the assembly was in session, he said it would be an insult to democracy if the Lt Governor conducted such meetings leading to absence of the officers in the House.

"I will write to Lt Governor not to hold any meetings with the officials particularly during the session in her office," he said.

The Speaker said the elected members were accountable to the people of their constituencies and hence officers should be present so that any clarification or details required by Ministers could be obtained from them without loss of time.

Bedi and the Congress government headed by Narayanasamy have been at loggerheads over various issues since she assumed charge as the Lt Governor here.