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Officials testify before privilege panel

PUDUCHERRY: A total of six higher officials including Development Commissioner Naini Jayaseelan on Wednesday testified before the Privilege Committee of Puducherry Assembly on the issue relating to certain remarks allegedly made by Chief Secretary Rakesh Behari at a review meeting last month.

Chairman of the Privilege Committee and Deputy Speaker A.V. Sreedharan told reporters that other officials who appeared before the committee were Secretary (Public Works) S. Kumaraswamy, Secretary (Personnel and Administrative Reforms) D.C. Sahoo, Secretary (Local Administration) G.C. Joshi, Secretary (Revenue) T.M. Balakrishnan and Secretary (Law) J. John Claude Pompei Mariadassou.

These officials, who were present at the review meeting held at the Chief Secretariat where Mr. Behari had reportedly made the remarks, gave their versions of what had happened. Their evidence was recorded separately.

A.K. Singh, then Secretary (Industries), who had been transferred to Delhi, had submitted a letter expressing his inability to attend the meeting, Mr. Sreedharan said. However, Mr. Singh had assured to testify before the panel whenever he was summoned.

Though Director-General of Police A.S. Khan was summoned to appear before the Privilege Committee, he did not turn up, Mr. Sreedharan said.

Replying to queries, he said it was wrong on the part of the DGP not to testify before the panel without citing any reason. The committee would take appropriate action as per the Assembly Rules, he said.

Apart from Mr. Singh and Mr. Khan, Director (Information) V. Krishnasamy would also be summoned to testify before the panel at its next meeting on August 19.

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