Guilty of breaching MLA's privilege, officer apologises

A Meghalaya government officer today apologised before the Assembly after its Privilege Committee found him guilty of breaching the privilege of a legislator.
West Garo Hills district Additional Deputy Commissioner Zenithsky J Sangma, also chief executive officer of Tura Municipal Board, was found guilty of breaching the privilege of John Leslee K Sangma after he filed 'concocted' FIRs against the legislator in February 2015.
Speaker Abu Taher Mondal summoned the officer to the bar of the House, asked him to bow down and take an oath, following which the charges against him were read out.
"The House have charged you for committing breach of privilege against one of the Members, John Leslee K Sangma, which led to the breach of privilege and dignity of this House," the Speaker said.

Mondal reprimanded the officer exercising the power of the Speaker and and sought to know if he would apologise before the House for his actions.
Tendering his apology, the officer said, "I profoundly and sincerely express my apology to Shri John Leslee K Sangma and to the members of the privilege committee and this House."

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said the last time an officer was summoned before the House was in 1972-73.
Speaking on behalf of all the members, he said no more action would be taken against the officer.
Following this, the Speaker announced that charges against the officer were dropped and asked him to bow again before the chair, the treasury and opposition benches, and leave the House.

Mondal disallowed other members, including John Leslee K Sangma, to speak or debate on the issue.
Earlier, opposition National People's Party legislator James K Sangma said he did not want to go into the merits and demerits of the case against the officer, but did not agree with the method by which he was summoned and reprimanded.
James packed his papers and walked out of the House.
James later told PTI that he was against such "archaic and humiliating" punishment of public servants.