Cong MLA moves privilege motion against Puducherry Finance Secretary

Congress legislator T Jayamoorthy moved a privilege motion against Finance Secretary V Candavelou on Tuesday for releasing a press statement noting that a standing order of the chief minister was "not implementable".

The notice was submitted at the office of Speaker V Vaithilingam.

Jayamoorthy later told reporters that a secretary had no authority to declare a standing order of the chief minister as "not implementable" and such a claim of the secretary was a clear case of breach of privilege.

The legislator sought action against the official.

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy issued an order on November 17 declaring as null and void the secretary's circular on expenditure management issued in August this year. The secretary's circular restricted the delegation of financial powers of subordinate officers only to contingent and miscellaneous sanction of funds.

The chief minister questioned the restrictions and declared the circular as "mischievous, improper and grossly illegal".

Reacting to the standing order, the secretary came out with a rejoinder Monday, announcing through a press release that the standing order of the chief minister was "not implementable".