Our post is just like that of an intern: AAP MLAs to Election Commission

NEW DELHI: While seeking to underplay their role in Delhi government, several AAP parliamentary secretaries had told the Election Commission in early May that their post was similar to an ‘intern’, or a ‘volunteer assistant’ attached to a Cabinet minister.

Responding to the EC notice in March, the MLAs quoting from multiple Supreme Court judgements had claimed that parliamentary secretary “is a mere post as opposed to an office”.

EC had sought their replies after advocate Prashant Patel had petitioned President Pranab Mukherjee for their dismissal. Parliamentary secretary (law) Kailash Gahlot had argued: “Assisting the minister in itself will not be sufficient to constitute an office.

A parallel can be drawn to the position of a respondent, an intern, or a ‘volunteer assistant’ attached to the minister-incharge.” While Gahlot could not be reached for comment on Tuesday, another parliamentary secretary told ET: “No responsibility or power is flowing from the post.”

The MLA added: “Intern’s work is to do what the senior tells him/her. Similarly, we do what the minister tells us to do. An intern can only request. He is supposed to do whatever the senior says. It is the same with every parliamentary secretary.”

The parliamentary secretaries in their replies to EC had also asserted that “office space” and “office support systems” had not been provided to them. But ET has found that these MLAs have rooms allotted to them in the Vidhan Sabha. Some MLAs have advertised these rooms as their ‘official addresses’.

ET has perused a list of rooms officially allocated to all 21 MLAs. This aspect has also been raised by advocate Patel in his petitions to the EC and President Mukherjee. While Patel claimed this was tantamount to “pecuniary benefits”, MLAs contested this. Parliamentary secretary (power) Jarnail Singh said: “I never used any room or office.

It was never handed over to me. Also, property of Delhi assembly is in the jurisdiction of the speaker.” According to him, their role is “limited to giving feedback to ministers about public grievances.

“This was office of loss for us because we spent own money on petrol and other expenses.” Another AAP MLA, who confessed to using the room allotted to him, said: “We use them whenever we go. Vidhan Sabha has nothing to do with (being) a parliamentary secretary. MLAs who are on assembly committees also have rooms. It is not a part of government as such, it is independent. There are no pecuniary benefits. Having a room in Vidhan Sabha is inconsequential.”