Himachal Speaker warns of action against officers ignoring calls of MLAs

Senior bureaucrats who fail to respond to telephone calls from elected representatives may soon face scrutiny, after the issue was forcefully raised in the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday. Rakesh Kalia, Congress MLA from Gagret in Una district, brought the matter to the House, expressing strong dissatisfaction over what he described as the indifferent attitude of certain officials.

Kalia alleged that several officers routinely ignore calls from MLAs, even when the latter seek to raise pressing public grievances. He went so far as to suggest that the government should reconsider the telephone allowances granted to such officers if they remain inaccessible to public representatives. His remarks drew visible support from legislators across the House, with members thumping their desks in agreement.

Taking serious note of the allegations, Kuldeep Pathania, Speaker of the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, termed the issue a grave matter. He asked Kalia to submit in writing the names of officers accused of not responding to calls so that appropriate action could be initiated. Calling it a “serious aspersion” on officials, Pathania assured the House that the matter would be examined formally once details were provided.

Kalia warned that if the situation persisted, he would be compelled to stage a protest in the state capital along with 200 supporters. He urged the Chief Minister to take stern action against officers who, he said, were neglecting their duty toward elected representatives and, by extension, the public.

Notably, concerns over the unresponsive conduct of senior bureaucrats have surfaced in the past as well, with even ministers reportedly voicing resentment over the issue within party forums.