Following the directions of the Election Commission of India (ECI), Delhi Chief Secretary KK Sharma has directed all Principal Secretaries/Secretaries/ Head of Departments to provide all details of camp office facilities, telephone expenditure if any, any transportation facility including driver and supporting staff provided to all 21 AAP MlAs who are working as parliamentary secretaries.
The Chief Secretary’s direction came after the ECI sent a notice to him on August 31, seeking specific details pertaining to camp office facilities provided to all 21 AAP MlAs working who are working as parliamentary secretaries, details of telephone if any provided to them and expenditure including monthly charges thereon, details of any staff member including any contractual employees) that may have been formally or informally or in diverted capacity provide to them.
The commission has also sought details of the nature of duties assigned to all 21 parliamentary secretaries and duties performed by them be elaborated. The Commission has sought details of any residence facility provided to them.
The election panel has also sought information from the Delhi Government on whether any office space and supporting staff have been provided to the parliamentary secretaries.
In a letter, ECI secretary Anuj Jaipuriar said: “Arrangement for transportation, whether any vehicle/driver has been provided for transportation provided to them, may also be informed. Whether any travelling allowance or reimbursement is being provided for travel expenses and whether daily allowances have been made in connection with transportation.”
The commission has also sought details of telephone and camp office facilities, if any, provided to the 21 legislators.
It would be pertinent to mention that ECI had earlier written to Delhi government’s chief secretary on June 24 and sought information on 11 points pertaining to 21 AAP MlAs who are working as Parliamentary Secretaries. The reply sent by Delhi government failed to satisfy the Commission. It has again put up six points and sought information from the Government.
The petition for their disqualification was moved by lawyer Prashant Patel. Maintaining that there was no “pecuniary benefit” associated with the post, the MlAs, in their response to the poll body, also said that parliamentary secretary is a “post” without any remuneration or power.