Ram Naik seeks at least 2 clarifications from Akhilesh
Throwing a spanner at the Akhilesh Yadav Govern-ment’s move to enact a Bill giving Cabinet Minister rank to Chairman of State Minority Commission through Ordin-ance, Governor Ram Naik dashed off a letter to Chief Minister questioning the urgency and sought clarification from the Government in this regard.
According to a statement issued by Raj Bhawan here on Wednesday, the Governor has sought at least two clarifications from the UP Government on the proposal to amend UP Minority Commission Act 1994 which seeks Cabinet Minister status to the chairman of the State Minority Commission. The amendment is brought through an ordinance UP Minority Commission (Amendment) Act, 2014.
Till now the chairman of the Minority Commission used to enjoy the status of a Minister of State. In his first clarification, the Governor sought to know what was the urgency to bring an Ordinance to give such a status to the chairman. “The Chairman enjoys the power as per Act passed in 1994. The chairman was working without Cabinet rank for the last 20 years. What is the urgency to bring an ordinance to elevate the status of the Chairman,” he asks.
Second, the Governor said that like UP Minority Commission, the Central Minority Commission chairperson has been given the status of 'lok Sevak' and not a Cabinet Minister status. The chairmen of other commissions are also not enjoying the status of a Cabinet Minister. He also cited two High Court orders to say that the court had rejected the proposals to elevate status of any head of the constitutional body and bringing it at par with a Cabinet rank Minister.
“Thus, there is a need to seek clarification on this matter,” Naik said. The decision of the Raj Bhawan, is a setback to the Akhilesh Yadav Government as the Ordinance has been moved by State senior Minister Mohammad Azam Khan.