Opposition Congress members on Wednesday expressed concern over non-implementation of Book Circular 47 under which Government officers are required to respond to letters of MLAs concerning local and State issues.
Raising the issue of members being requested not to stage any protest in the Well of the House in the State Assembly, Congress Legislature Party Leader Narasingha Mishra said, “Members protest as they don’t get any response from officers, Ministers and even the Chief Minister. Officers are not executing Book Circular 47.”
He urged the Speaker to ask the officers to acknowledge the letters received by them from MLAs first and then respond to the queries.
Another Congress member Santosh Singh Saluja wanted to know how the letter of the Speaker seeking MLAs not to rush into the Well of the House was published in a newspaper.
“The MLAs have the rights to know about happenings at the Government sector. Officers are not responding to letters of MLAs and even Ministers which they (officers) ought to do under the Book Circluar 47. The publication of the Speaker’s letter has diminished the dignity of the MLAs and the House as well,” said Saluja.
In response, Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro said MLAs can lodge complaints at the Ethics Committee of the Assembly against officers who don’t obey Book Circular 47. The committee has the right to summon the concerned offices and interrogate him, said the Speaker.
