20 parliamentary secys, 1 CPS via ordinance likely - Capt moves to placate Cong leaders
Thursday, 06/04/2017
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/community/20-parliamentary-secys-1-cps-via-ordinance-likely/387943.html
Chandigarh : In an apparent move to placate colleagues in the Punjab Congress who have not found a place in the state Cabinet, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh is set to appoint one Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) and 20 Parliamentary Secretaries through the ordinance route.
An ordinance is valid for six months and must be passed by the legislature before that so as to become a law.
Since the Punjab Cabinet can have a maximum of 18 ministers, including the CM, the government has found a way out to accommodate its sulking MLAs.
Noted lawyer HC Arora, on whose petition the CPSes appointed by the previous SAD-BJP government were declared “unconstitutional”, says the government move violates Article 164 of the Constitution that has fixed the strength of the Cabinet at 15 per cent of the total elected representatives. Also, it could be construed as contempt of court.
The government intended to table the Punjab Chief Parliamentary Secretary and Parliamentary Secretary (Appointment, Salaries, Allowance Power, Privileges and Amenities) Bill in the first session of the Vidhan Sabha, but had to hold it back because of “legal hurdles”.
The proposed Bill had fixed the salary of CPSes at Rs 40,000 and that of PSes at Rs 35,000 along with a house rent allowance of Rs 50,000 and travelling allowance.
