HC asks Assembly panel not to insist on CS appearance

Says move to send notice seemed as attempt to circumvent process of law

Chief secretary Anshu Prakash got a breather on Thursday with the Delhi high court directing the Assembly committee not to insist on his appearance before it, saying that the panel’s move to issue a notice to the top bureaucrat seemed to be an attempt to circumvent the process of law. Justice Rajiv Shakdher questioned the move of the Delhi Legislative Assembly’s Question and Reference ( Q& R) Committee to issue a notice to the chief secretary despite making a statement before the court on March 5 that it will not proceed in the matter concerning the bureaucrat till further orders.

The court said the committee’s move to issue notice seemed to be an attempt to circumvent the process of law. The chief secretary had on

Wednesday moved the high court after he was served a notice by the Q& R Committee asking him to appear before it to examine issues relating to

Delhi Nagrik Sahkari

Bank Ltd.

“After giving a statement on March 5, the complainant ( Q& R Committee) immediately issued notice to the chief secretary, asking him to appear before it on Thursday. What was the urgency of issuing the notice. Ask your client ( committee) not to do this. Tell your client that it seems as if you are trying to circumvent the process of law. Wait for the outcome of the main petition pending in the high court,” Justice Shakdher told the counsel for the committee.

The court suggested to the committee to withdraw the March 6 notice, in which it had asked the chief secretary to appear before it on Thursday.

“As far as the chief secretary is concerned, you withdraw this notice and do whatever has to be done,” it said.

To this, advocate Manish Vashisht, appearing for the Assembly committee, said the panel cannot withdraw the notice as it has been issued against two other officers also.