SC order on parliamentary secys blow to Cong MLAs

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 27

The Supreme Court verdict in the case of Assam’s parliamentary secretaries has put a question mark on the Punjab Chief Parliamentary Secretary and Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointment, Salary, Allowances, Power, Privileges and Amenities) Bill.

The apex court has ruled that the state legislature lacks competence to create the post of parliamentary secretary, while declaring the Assam Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointment, Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004, unconstitutional.

The Capt Amarinder Singh government was looking to accommodate 21 party MLAs — one as Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) and 20 as parliamentary secretaries. The Bill had proposed to fix the salary of a CPS at Rs 40,000 per month and that of a parliamentary secretary at Rs 35,000, besides house rent allowance of Rs 50,000 and travelling allowance.

Sources in the Law Department said the draft Bill — which has the provision of keeping these politicians as trainees only for parliamentary affairs, not for administrative jobs — was ready since April. However, the government had been awaiting the SC verdict. “It seems unlikely now that Punjab will go ahead with the Bill,” said a senior official in the department.

The judgment has virtually shut the door on many Congress MLAs who were hoping to be appointed CPS or PS, not being in contention for a Cabinet berth.

Raveen Thukral, media adviser to the Chief Minister, said the government was seized of the matter. “But the fine print of the judgment has to be read and legally examined before any decision is taken by the CM,” he added.