‘Speaker’s letter’ raises eyebrows

Amaninder Pal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 25

Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal today conveyed to heads of 16 departments to make sure that they attended a series of camps being organised in the Raikot constituency from where his son is to contest on the  Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) ticket. Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal’s candidature was announced by the SAD two weeks ago on November 17.

A letter sent by the office of the Speaker carries a detailed schedule. Residents of 77 villages are to attend 11 such camps beginning November 28.

Apart from the directors of various departments , the Speaker’s message has also been conveyed to the CMD, PSPCL, DIG (Ludhiana Range), and the Secretary, Punjab Mandi Board.

“The honorable Speaker wishes that camps, as per the enclosed schedule, should be organised highlighting various public welfare schemes being offered to residents of the Raikot Assembly segment, which falls in Ludhiana district. You are requested to order the officers’ concerned to ensure their presence at these camps”, the letter reads.

Observers term such a communication by the Speaker’s office as “violation of ethics.”

When contacted, the Speaker claimed he was not aware of any such communication issued by his office. “Even if I do give any such order, it is not a violation of rules. I can write to officers on such issues,” he maintained.

Not quite convinced, former Deputy Speaker Bir Devinder Singh pointed out, “Certainly no rules have been violated. But it is violation of ethics. The Speaker may write to officers on issues related to his own constituency. The Speaker’s office is a custodian of parliamentary ethics and since Atwal’s son is to fight from that (Raikot) seat, he should not have used his office to issue any such instructions.”