Jammu, Apr 1 (NVI): Legislators cutting across party lines on Wednesday expressed concern over the absence of senior bureaucrats in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly during Question Hour, with some members demanding action and stricter enforcement of rules.
As the Question Hour neared its conclusion, National Conference MLA Nazi Gurezi alleged that officials were taking the House lightly, pointing to the sparsely occupied officers’ gallery.
“This House is being taken lightly. Earlier, the gallery used to remain full, with the Chief Secretary and Commissioner Secretaries present during Question Hour,” he said, urging the government to ensure accountability of officers.
Gurezi called upon Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take action against erring officials, asserting that bureaucrats are accountable to elected representatives.
Members from the BJP, including Sham Lal Sharma and Pawan Gupta, supported the concern and questioned the absence of administrative secretaries in the House.
Sharma said the rules mandate the presence of concerned departmental secretaries during Question Hour and suggested that business related to departments whose officers are absent should be deferred.
Intervening, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather said that while it is necessary for senior officers of departments listed for business to be present, it is not feasible for the entire secretariat to remain in the House due to space constraints.
Members from various parties, including the National Conference, PDP, Congress and independents, joined the protest, highlighting the issue as a matter of institutional accountability between the executive and the legislature.(NVI)
