HC extends interim order asking Delhi Assembly not to take action against bureaucrats

The Delhi High Court today extended its interim order asking the Legislative Assembly not to take any "coercive steps" against three senior bureaucrats summoned by the Speaker to appear before it for allegedly failing to answer certain questions of legislators.

Justice C Hari Shankar reserved the order on the plea by the bureaucrats, who on June 7 were asked by Speaker Ram Niwas Goel to be present in the visitors gallery of the House on June 11, and said no action be taken against them till the court pronounces its order.

The court, which heard the arguments for over three hours advanced by the counsel for the bureaucrats, Delhi government, Speaker and the Lieutenant Governor, said its interim order of June 11 would continue till pronouncement of the judgment.

It had on June 11 said that no "precipitative action" be taken against the three bureaucrats.

The court was hearing the pleas against the Speaker's June 7 letter to education secretary Sandeep Kumar, services secretary Nagendra Kumar and revenue secretary Manisha Saxena.

Goel's letter of June 7 had warned the bureaucrats of strict action "as per rules" if they did not provide proper answers to three written questions asked by the ruling party legislators.

During the hearing, senior advocate Sanjay Jain and advocate Raj Shekhar Rao, appearing for the bureaucrats, said the allegedly unanswered questions pertained to subjects of services and land, which along with law and order, are issues on which the assembly cannot legislate.

He said the bureaucrats have already given written reply that the questions pertain to reserved subject and in such a situation, queries raised by legislators about these subjects ought not to have been allowed by the Speaker.

"It is an ego battle, you want secretaries to come and stand there in the Assembly. We are bureaucrats and we have put in so many years in our jobs. We have not come here to face humiliation and such mental pressure was being put on us," the senior counsel argued.

He further said, "You have put an extra day of Assembly session at the cost of public exchequer's money just to hear what we have already said in writing. For what you want our appearance. If you have a political battle, fight it politically with the Prime Minister or the Home Minister. Why are we being used as pawn. Why I am being used as a scapegoat."