HC requests Assembly not to take coercive steps against 3 bureaucrats

The Delhi High Court today requested the Delhi Legislative Assembly not to take coercive steps against the three bureaucrats summoned by the Speaker to appear before the House after their departments allegedly failed to answer certain questions of legislators.

A vacation bench of Justices Sangita Dhingra Sehgal and C Hari Shankar also said that no precipitative action be taken against the bureaucrats till June 13.

Earlier in the day, the court agreed to hear pleas of the three senior bureaucrats against Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel's warning of strict action "as per rules" if they do not provide proper answers to the three written questions asked by the ruling party legislators by today.

The three-day session, which started on June 6, was scheduled to conclude on June 8. However, it was extended by one working day, i.e. till today.

Goel had on June 6 directed bureaucrats to be present during assembly proceedings the next day after their departments allegedly did not supply answers to written questions of legislators.

Angry with the development, the speaker had termed as "undeclared emergency" the situation where government officers are not providing answers asked by MLAs and blamed Lt Governor Anil Baijal for it.