Assembly forms new committee on violation of protocol norms by officers

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Assembly on Monday passed a resolution to form a nine-member committee to look into the cases of alleged misconduct of government officers with members of the house.

The misconduct, as claimed by Aam Aadmi Party MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj, includes not meeting the MLAs, not taking their calls, or not following the protocol vis-a-vis them.

The House also agreed with the concerns raised by the members regarding increasing incidents of defiances, discourteous behaviour and violation of protocol norms by the government officers towards the elected legislators.

The resolution for the constitution of the 'House Committee on Violation of Protocol Norms and Contemptuous Behaviour by Government Officers with MLAs' was moved by AAP MLA Vishesh Ravi.

The committee will comprise nine members, including Chairperson, to be appointed by Speaker Ram Niwas Goel.

The Speaker, Ram Niwas Goel, said that this committee will be modelled on the lines of the 2012 committee set up in the Lok Sabha for the same purpose.

This move comes at a time, when such committees are at the heart of a tussle between AAP legislators and bureaucrats. The AAP has alleged that officials working on behest of the Lieutenant Governor are looking to disrupt their work, and that such a committee can ensure "transparency and accountability".

The Committee shall be free to enlarge the scope of issues under examination if needed, subject to approval of the Speaker.