A breach of privilege motion has been moved against Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Duloo and Law Secretary Achal Sethi for allegedly trying to scuttle the resolution for the restoration of statehood in the Assembly.
“I don’t think there is any such precedent when bureaucrats have written to the Assembly secretariat in an attempt to scuttle the business of the house.
In his motion of privilege against Chief Secretary and the Law Secretary, Parra said, “The issue before us is whether the elected Legislature can be subjected to scrutiny, approval or restraint by the bureaucracy in the exercise of its legislative functions. Abdul Rahim Rather, Speaker of the J&K Assembly told NDTV that there is no precedent of such interference in the functioning of the Assembly by the bureaucracy. He said that sending a letter to the Assembly secretariat, that too without the approval of the minister concerned was a clear attempt to undermine the House. The letter has been sent without the approval of the concerned minister,” said Rather. The Speaker said that the Chief Secretary or the Law Secretary had locus standi to write such a letter to the Assembly Secretariat.
“Speaker sir, I’m the Law Minister and Chief Minister but I have no knowledge of my bureaucracy sending an opinion to you on my resolution. Sajad Lone, MLA and president of the Peoples Conference dared the government and the speaker to act against the Chief Secretary for undermining the house.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds the portfolio of Law Ministry, told the Assembly that he had no knowledge of the letter sent by his Law Secretary and Chief Secretary before he was informed by the Speaker. He said that writing such a letter to the Assembly Secretariat, asking it not to allow the resolution moved by the Chief Minister himself speaks volumes about how bureaucracy is functioning outside the control of elected government. I do not know on whose instructions it was sent,” said Abdullah. Abdullah said after J&K was stripped of its statehood and special status, people in J&K have been “humiliated”. He said demanding restoration of statehood is a matter of right, not asking for a charity from the central government.
