Iconic cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has reportedly asked the Rajya Sabha secretariat to arrange his oath-taking ceremony away from media attention. Though there is provision to take oath in private in the chairman’s chamber, this provision is used only when the House is not in session. It is believed that Tendulkar may want to avoid any situation akin to the one after actor Rekha took oath.
Sources here said Tendulkar had enquired if he can take the oath privately instead of coming to the House for being sworn in. The Rajya Sabha secretariat is awaiting the cricketer to take oath on Friday, after Delhi High Court refused to entertain a plea seeking a stay on Tendulkar taking oath.
The court, however, asked the Centre to explain how he was nominated in the absence of a specific sports category in the Constitution.
As per tradition, the new members are administered oath in the House when it is in session, while the Chairman administers the oath in his chamber during the inter-session period. Sachin may have to wait for the current budget session to end on Tuesday to come for taking the oath.
Sources in the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, however, said there is no hard and fast rule for swearing-in of new members of Parliament, though the government would like Sachin to take oath now, may be in the chairman’s chamber or residence, to attend the House at least for two days this session, if not on Friday.
