In the midst of protest by the Opposition, the Government on Friday tabled the TRAI (Amendment) Bill, 2014 in the lok Sabha to replace an Ordinance which was issued earlier to remove the hurdle for appointment of the 1967-batch IAS officer Nripendra Mishra to the post of Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister.
The existing TRAI Act bars its chairman and members from taking up any other job in the Central or State Governments after demitting office. They are also barred from taking any commercial employment in private sector. To circumvent this section, which would have barred 69-year-old Mishra from taking up the post of the Principal Secretary to the PM, the Modi Government promulgated an Ordinance which amended it.
Mishra is an IAS officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre and his appointment as principal secretary will be co-terminus with the term of the PM or till further orders, according to an order issued by the Ministry of Personnel.
Opposition MPs led by TCM leader Saugata Roy and Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury protested against introduction of the Bill by Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. The Minister said this Bill will bring parity with other Regulatory bodies, where no such bar on Government appointments. He said the Government is very well within its rights and the merits on the matter can be discussed, when the Bill is put for debate.