‘Blocking’ funds: Principal Secretary fails to appear before Assembly

PTI

New Delhi, December 18

Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel on Monday referred the matter of the non-appearance of the Finance Department’s Principal Secretary before the House despite a summon to the Privileges Committee.

Before lunch, the Assembly passed a resolution summoning AC Verma, Principal Secretary, Finance, to appear before the House at 2 pm for allegedly obstructing government funds earmarked for the House. As he did not turn up, the Speaker directed him to be present in the House at 5 pm or else the matter of his absence would be referred to the Privileges Committee.

Verma, however, failed to appear yet again. “This is a huge insult to the House. I refer this matter to the Privileges Committee,” Goel said.

AAP legislator Mohinder Goyal threatened to launch a stir over the alleged obstruction of funds.

Earlier in the day, the Speaker said because funds were not being released by Verma, the annual programmes of the Assembly on Diwali and Chhath could not be held this year. The function on Christmas will also not be held, he said during the ongoing Winter Session of the Delhi Assembly.

Chief Whip of AAP, Dilip Pandey, then moved a resolution for summoning Verma to the Assembly. When the Assembly session resumed after lunch, Finance Minister Atishi raised the issue.

Meanwhile, Pandey’s resolution that files related to the Assembly’s financial matters be sent directly to the Finance Department was passed by the House.

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