Vidhan Sabha speaker directed to decide representation

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the Haryana Vidhan Sabha speaker to take a decision within 15 days on the representation submitted by Ram Narain Yadav, joint secretary in the state assembly secretariat, presently under suspension, for quashing the appointment of an inquiry officer.

A division bench of Justice M M Kumar and Justice M M S Bedi issued the direction on the petition filed by Yadav against the appointment of Sumit Kumar, secretary of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, as the inquiry officer in regard to the petitioner's suspension.

The petitioner submitted that Sumit Kumar was a party to the subject matter of the charges which were framed against him and had also formed an opinion on record regarding the petitioner in the same matter. As such, the respondent was biased and had malafide attitude, the petitioner's counsel argued before the bench.

Mr Yadav had been suspended on March 7 following a controversy about the quorum at the meeting of the estimate committee of the Vidhan Sabha held in February. While it was contended by the petitioner that three members which constituted the quorum were present at the meeting, the Vidhan Sabha secretariat held the view that only the chairman of the committee attended.

Mr Yadav was accused of having obtained signatures of two other members of the committee on February 28, which was denied by the petitioner who annexed copies of the available record to substantiate his point.

He had prayed for quashing the orders vide which Sumit Kumar was appointed inquiry officer against him.

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