Gandhinagar, February 27 The Gujarat government received three complaints regarding violations of protocol towards MLAs during the one-year period up to December 31 last year, state protocol minister Jitu Vaghani informed the legislative assembly on Friday.
Responding to a question raised by Congress MLA Amit Chavda, the minister said three circulars about protocol to be followed for MLAs and other office-bearers in government programmes and administration were issued by the General Administration Department between 2021 and 2023. The circulars were issued on October 28 and 29 in 2021 as well as May 31, 2023.
The government stated that complaints regarding protocol violations are treated as serious matters and action is taken under the rules against those found responsible.
According to the data tabled in the House, three representations were received during the last one year, ending December 2025.
One complaint was submitted by senior Congress MLA from Khedbrahma, Tushar Chaudhary, regarding an event held on May 5, 2025, for the inauguration of a newly built Farmers Training Centre in his constituency in Sabarkantha district.
The former union minister stated that he received an e-invitation card via WhatsApp which did not mention his name, despite being the local MLA.
Following his representation, a second e-invitation card was sent mentioning the names of all four MLAs of Sabarkantha district, after which he decided to attend the programme.
He also complained that his name was not there in the inauguration plaque of the centre and he was also not given an opportunity to address the gathering.
About the action taken on this complaint, Vaghani stated Chaudhary's name was included on the inauguration plaque following his representation.
The GAD, through a letter dated February 19, 2026, instructed the Sabarkantha collector to ensure government protocol for public representatives is maintained in district-level government programmes, said Vaghani.
The second complaint was filed by BJP MLA of Kodinar seat, Pradyuman Vaja through representations dated May 8 and May 13, 2025.
In the Cabinet reshuffle of October 2025, Vaja was made state education minister.
Vaja, who was just an MLA at the time of submitting the complaint, stated in is complaint in May 2025 that he was not invited by the Gir Somnath district collector for an event held in his constituency in December 2024.
He further stated that he did not receive prior intimation about the programme.
In response, the GAD wrote to the Gir Somnath collector on May 23, 2025, instructing that government protocol for public representatives be strictly maintained and that standing instructions of the state government be followed.
The third complaint was submitted by Kunvarji Halpati on August 4, 2025. At the time of filing the complaint, Halpati was serving as Minister of State for Tribal Development and was also the in-charge minister for Bharuch district. He was dropped as a minister in the cabinet reshuffle of October 2025.
In his representation, he stated that no consultation or coordination was done with him by the Bharuch collector regarding a foundation stone-laying and inauguration programme of various development projects held in Bharuch on August 4, 2025.
He stated that he received only an e-invitation via WhatsApp, in which neither his name nor his designation as in-charge minister was mentioned.
In this case, the GAD issued a letter dated February 18, 2026, to the Bharuch collector instructing that government protocol for public representatives be maintained.