Mumbai, March 13 – Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar directed Legislative Affairs Minister Chandrakant Patil to submit a report on March 16 regarding the action taken against Additional Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries who were absent during the discussion on budget grants for departments such as urban development, social justice, special assistance, housing, tourism, cultural affairs, and welfare of backward classes.
The Speaker issued this directive after NCP SP legislator and former minister Jayant Patil brought to the chair's attention that, despite earlier instructions, none of the bureaucrats of the rank of Additional Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary were present in the officers' gallery during the discussion on budget grants.
Patil urged the Speaker to take this matter seriously and issue appropriate instructions.
Speaker Rahul Narwekar acknowledged that this was a serious matter and directed Legislative Affairs Minister Chandrakant Patil to present the report to the House on Monday regarding the action taken against the Additional Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries for their absence during today's discussion.
Earlier, on March 10, Speaker Rahul Narwekar had issued a stern warning to the bureaucracy, stating that the House is fully empowered to take appropriate action if secretary-level officers are found absent from the gallery during crucial legislative discussions.
This warning came during the budget discussion in the Assembly. It was observed that only four ministers were present in the House, and the officers' gallery remained largely vacant.
Highlighting this lapse, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Speaker Dilip Walse Patil raised the issue of administrative absenteeism.
Walse Patil remarked that the budget is the most critical subject of the House.
"During this debate, senior officials, including the Chief Secretary, Finance Secretary, and Planning Secretary, are expected to be present in the lobby to take note of the members' sentiments and suggestions. If we are to maintain the quality of discussion in the House, such debates must be treated with the necessary seriousness," he said.
He further emphasised that senior departmental heads must also be present during department-specific discussions.
Agreeing with Walse Patil's stance, Speaker Rahul Narwekar stated, "The point raised regarding the presence of officials is valid. Although this is an 'invisible gallery,' it is mandatory for all senior IAS officers to be present. Officials have been informed of this via correspondence previously."
Issuing a final ultimatum to the state's administrative machinery, Narwekar added, "This is the last chance for the administration. Moving forward, if Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) level officers are not present in the gallery during such important discussions, the House is capable of taking disciplinary action against them."