Mumbai: Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Wednesday strongly criticised the absence of ministers and senior bureaucrats during the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly, directing Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar (IAS:1989:MH) to appear in the legislature within 30 minutes.
Expressing serious concern over the repeated absence of ministers and senior departmental officials, the Speaker asserted that the Assembly would not function according to the convenience of government officials and warned that any recurrence could lead to the House being adjourned for the entire day.
Opposition Raises Issue During House Proceedings
The matter came up during a discussion in the Assembly after Opposition members complained that the ministers concerned were not present to respond to debates and that senior departmental officials were missing from the officers’ gallery.
Leader of the Congress Legislature Party Vijay Wadettiwar termed the absence of ministers and secretaries an insult to the legislature, the Speaker’s chair, and the people of Maharashtra. He demanded that the House proceedings be adjourned until the concerned ministers and officials were present.
Speaker Directs Chief Secretary to Report Within 30 Minutes
Taking serious note of the complaints, Speaker Rahul Narwekar said the Assembly had repeatedly received grievances from Opposition members regarding the absence of ministers and senior officials during discussions on departmental matters.
He immediately directed Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar (IAS:1989:MH) to remain present in the Assembly within half an hour and instructed ministers to ensure their presence whenever issues related to their respective departments are taken up for discussion.
Following the Speaker’s direction, the Chief Secretary appeared in the officers’ gallery after the House resumed its proceedings.
House Adjourned Briefly Amid Protests
The Opposition staged protests over the absence of ministers and officials, following which the Assembly was adjourned for approximately 10 minutes.
When proceedings resumed, Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar was present in the officers’ gallery, complying with the Speaker’s directive.
‘Not Even Four Secretaries Present’
Expressing his displeasure, Speaker Narwekar made a sharp observation on the absence of senior bureaucrats.
“There are 110 secretaries who take salaries from the government and even four are not present. There can be nothing more important than legislature proceedings.”
He reiterated that legislative business must receive the highest priority and said the Assembly cannot function based on the convenience of ministers or officials.
Government Explains Absence
Responding on behalf of the government, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandrakant Patil said that some ministers and senior officials were attending other official engagements, including government meetings, which resulted in their absence from the Assembly.
However, the explanation did little to satisfy the Speaker, who reiterated the need for strict adherence to legislative responsibilities.
Warning Against Future Violations
Narwekar cautioned the government that ministers must remain present whenever matters relating to their departments are discussed and senior officials should occupy the officers’ gallery throughout the proceedings.
He warned that if similar incidents occur in future, the Assembly may be adjourned for the entire day, underscoring the importance of accountability to the legislature.
The episode highlighted concerns over coordination between the executive and the legislature, with the Speaker making it clear that attendance during Assembly proceedings is a constitutional responsibility rather than a matter of administrative convenience.
