The tussle between Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government reached the Delhi Assembly on Monday after Speaker Ram Niwas Goel announced that the L-G has said that the speaker cannot accept any question on reserved subjects, like land, law and order, and services among others.
"Secretariat has also received copies of letters from some departments such as services, vigilance, land and building, refusing to attend meetings with ministers concerned," he said.
However, Goel stressed that the legislation on reserved subjects and seeking replies on matters of public interest are two different issues and hence he ruled that "officers are duty bound to provide replies to all questions which are admitted (by the Assembly)".
The L-G had sent a letter stating that the speaker cannot accept any questions on reserved subjects to the law department of the Delhi government after taking opinion from the Legal Affairs Department of Central government.
"Delhi Assembly is not subordinate to any central government 'babu'," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said in the House as both members of the ruling AAP and the Opposition BJP members said that all questions raised by the Assembly should be answered.
Earlier, also, Goel had ordered the Assembly's privilege committee to look into the matter related to Revenue Secretary Manisha Saxena's recent interview to a Hindi daily, in which she allegedly said a mob attacked the principal and teachers of a government school for scolding a student in Narela area on February 21.
Besides the question and reference committee, Goel also sent Saxena's matter to the privilege committee following a demand by AAP MLA Sourabh Bharadwaj. During the Question Hour, AAP legislators sought action against a section of officers for not replying properly to questions asked by them.
Of the three written questions, two were related to food and supplies department and one was about the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB). AAP MLA Rakhi Birla, referring to a question asked by her, said the officer who gave the answer was "misleading the Assembly" by giving a "false" reply. Bharadwaj, referring to an answer written by Food Commissioner K R Meena, said the answer was "incomplete" and urged that the matter be referred to question and reference committee.
'DUTY BOND'
Speaker Ram Niwas Goel stressed that the legislation on reserved subjects and seeking replies on matters of public interest are two different issues and hence he ruled that “officers are duty bound to provide replies to all questions which are admitted (by the Assembly)” after the L-G sent a letter saying the speaker cannot accept questions on reserved subjects
