Parliamentary secretaries can't ask questions as they assist the govt, rules HP speaker

Pathania said that parliamentary secretaries are appointed under a legislation passed by the Vidhan Sabha and although they may not enjoy the status of ministers, they assist them and the government.He added that the question asked by CPS Awasthi would be removed from the proceedings.Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the chief parliamentary secretaries are not holding any constitutional post and do not take any decision.

Shimla, September 22 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania ruled on Friday that MLAs serving as parliamentary secretaries cannot ask questions in the House as they assist the ministers and the state government.

The ruling came in the wake of a supplementary question asked by Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) Sanjay Awasthi.

When Awasthi asked the question, the Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur raised a point of order, saying that the CPS, who is part of the government, cannot ask questions and urged the Speaker to give his ruling.

The Speaker reserved the order and gave a ruling in the afternoon, maintaining that a CPS cannot ask questions as they assist the ministers and the government. Pathania said that parliamentary secretaries are appointed under a legislation passed by the Vidhan Sabha and although they may not enjoy the status of ministers, they assist them and the government.

He added that the question asked by CPS Awasthi would be removed from the proceedings.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the chief parliamentary secretaries are not holding any constitutional post and do not take any decision. The CPS can give suggestions on the file but the right to take a decision vests with the minister, Sukhu said, adding that CPS and PS cannot use the tricolour on their vehicles.

The Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha currently has six parliamentary secretaries.

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