HC pulls up Goa CM over postings
Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat, who has been dangling the portfolio and corporation bait to those who have not made it to the Cabinet, has been pulled up by the Bombay High Court for appointing three MLAs as “parliamentary secretaries” with Cab...
By TNN |
PANAJI: Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat, who has been dangling the portfolio and corporation bait to those who have not made it to the Cabinet, has been pulled up by the Bombay High Court for appointing three MLAs as “parliamentary secretaries” with Cabinet rank.
Hearing a public interest litigation on Tuesday challenging the validity of such a move, the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court raised objection to the appointment and issued notice asking the authority concerned to explain functions of the three secretaries. The court has also directed the state government to submit its reply within two weeks. “The matter has been adjourned for two weeks. The court has issued notice to private parties, too,” said state advocate general Subodh Kantak.
The HC has sought explanation for giving Cabinet rank to heads of other corporations like the chairman of the economic development corporation headed by Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes, deputy chairman of Planning Board Wilfred D’Souza, who is president of Goa NCP, and commissioner of NRI affairs, senior Congress member Eduardo Faleiro. “Post of a parliamentary secretary is unconstitutional. Goa will set a bad precedent for making bogus appointments,” said advocate Aires Rodrigues, who had filed the PIL.
First-time MLA Nilkant Halarnkar (NCP), lone woman MLA Victoria Fernandes, who had resorted to hunger strike over denial of a Cabinet berth, and senior Congress leader Francisco Silveira have all been sworn in earlier as parliamentary secretaries — with Cabinet rank. The job of these people would be to “assist the CM with his important portfolios”. In affect, a parliamentary secretary with Cabinet rank means that an MLA can avail the perks of a Cabinet member, without being held accountable.
Earlier in a bid to appease his Cabinet colleagues, the incumbent CM had allocated two departments to each minister. Mr Kamat also parted with the home and finance portfolios — something that has never been attempted previously by any chief minister in Goa. Mr Kamat, then, set up a four member co-ordination committee to iron out differences, which continue to resurface off and on.
Hearing a public interest litigation on Tuesday challenging the validity of such a move, the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court raised objection to the appointment and issued notice asking the authority concerned to explain functions of the three secretaries. The court has also directed the state government to submit its reply within two weeks. “The matter has been adjourned for two weeks. The court has issued notice to private parties, too,” said state advocate general Subodh Kantak.
The HC has sought explanation for giving Cabinet rank to heads of other corporations like the chairman of the economic development corporation headed by Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes, deputy chairman of Planning Board Wilfred D’Souza, who is president of Goa NCP, and commissioner of NRI affairs, senior Congress member Eduardo Faleiro. “Post of a parliamentary secretary is unconstitutional. Goa will set a bad precedent for making bogus appointments,” said advocate Aires Rodrigues, who had filed the PIL.
First-time MLA Nilkant Halarnkar (NCP), lone woman MLA Victoria Fernandes, who had resorted to hunger strike over denial of a Cabinet berth, and senior Congress leader Francisco Silveira have all been sworn in earlier as parliamentary secretaries — with Cabinet rank. The job of these people would be to “assist the CM with his important portfolios”. In affect, a parliamentary secretary with Cabinet rank means that an MLA can avail the perks of a Cabinet member, without being held accountable.
Earlier in a bid to appease his Cabinet colleagues, the incumbent CM had allocated two departments to each minister. Mr Kamat also parted with the home and finance portfolios — something that has never been attempted previously by any chief minister in Goa. Mr Kamat, then, set up a four member co-ordination committee to iron out differences, which continue to resurface off and on.
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