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Tuesday, Jul 15, 2008
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Karat: Speaker’s office above controversy

Special Correspondent

“Any decision will be taken by the Speaker himself”

Somnath Chatterjee

NEW DELHI: “We do not want the office of the Speaker dragged into any unnecessary controversy,” Communist Party of India (Marxist) genral secretary Prakash Karat has said.

In a statement, released to the press here on Monday by the party’s Central Committee, Mr. Karat clarified that he had already stated “any decision will be taken by the Speaker himself.” The party noted that on July 10 the Speaker’s office had made the same point.

The July 10 statement of the Lok Sabha Secretariat said the Speaker “does not represent any political party in the discharge of his duties and functions.” It noted that Somnath Chatterjee was “not elected as the nominee of any one party” but was elected unanimously. “Since his election as Speaker Shri Somnath Chatterjee has scrupulously kept himself away from all political activities.”

The Lok Sabha Secretariat statement said: “It is requested that the media may not drag the highest Legislative Office of the country into controversies by speculative reports and undeserved innuendos. As and when any decision is taken by the Hon’ble Speaker, relevant to the present political context, the media will be kept informed.”

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