Unanswered questions: Goel refers officers' matter to Privilege panel

NEW DELHI: Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel on Monday referred the matter of officers not providing answers to five questions asked by MLAs to the Privilege Committee and directed it to submit its report within a month. Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Monday requested the Delhi Legislative Assembly not to take any 'coercive steps' against three senior bureaucrats summoned by the Speaker of the House to appear before it for allegedly failing to answer certain questions of legislators.

Justice C Hari Shankar said that no "precipitative action" be taken against the three bureaucrats, who on June 7 were asked by Speaker Ram Niwas Goel to be present in the visitors gallery of the House on Monday. The court said its interim order against the June 7 letter of the Speaker shall be in operation till June 13, the next date of hearing. As the House proceedings began, Goel asked MLAs, whose queries have not been answered, to read out their questions, but ministers of the departments concerned told the Speaker that officers had not provided answers despite his warning to them against doing so.

According to legislators, the officers did not answer questions pertaining to reserved subjects –land, law and order, and services. On June 7, the Speaker had warned principal secretaries of revenue, education and another department of strict action if they failed to provide response to unanswered questions on June 11. "In the history of democracy and Delhi's politics, today's incident (matter of not providing answers by officers) will be written in black words. It is not only the insult of House, but also the Constitution and the people of Delhi," Goel told the House.

He said that the it was a matter of 'contempt of the House'. "I am referring the matter to the Privilege Committee for action. I ask ministers to also put their report on the issue before the committee...I direct the committee to submit its report within a month," he also said.

During the Budget Session in March this year, Goel had hit out at the Lieutenant Governor after he communicated to him that he could not admit questions on reserved subjects including law and order, services and land. In protest, Goel, Sisodia, cabinet

ministers and all AAP MLAs wore black bands during the House proceedings against the LG's move.