Rule Of Law Triumphs In Resignation of Parliamentary Secretaries

Rule Of Law Triumphs In Resignation of Parliamentary Secretaries Dated : 19-02-2009 Source : UNI Panaji : TEXT : The rule of law triumphed with the resignation of two parliamentary secretaries in Goa, who had been in office since July 2007, illegally enjoying the perks and privileges of a cabinet minister, says social activist Aires Rodrigues Advocate Roderigues, who successfully filed a PIL in Bombay High Court challenging the appointments, said Parliamentary Secretaries Nilkanth Harlankar(NCP) and Francisco Silveira (Congress) had finally resigned. Regretting that the duo had glued to the office till the fag end of the four week stay given by the High Court, he said the two should have immediately resigned on January 22 itself when the court, in its landmark 108-page judgment, held their appointments as ‘arbitrary, unjustifiable and unconstitutional’. Mr Rodrigues had warned Chief Minister Digambar Kamat against making any attempt at giving backdoor entry to the posts again through a legislation without awaiting the decision of the Supreme Court, which is currently hearing a petition challenging the appointments of Parliamentary Secretaries in Assam under Parliamentary Secretaries Act. He stated that Mr Kamat should also be held liable for the enormous financial burden on the state exchequer as a result of the appointment of the duo with cabinet status entitling each of them to have 11 staff members, besides official car with red beacon, an office and all other benefits. Mr Rodrigues said he had filed the PIL averring that unconstitutional appointments were a huge financial burden on the state exchequer but the government had spent lakhs of rupees by way of legal fees in defending the illegal appointments of the two Parliamentary Secretaries. With the issue of Parliamentary Secretaries laid to rest, he said he would pursue with the Supreme Court the issue of Cabinet status bestowed on EDC Chairman Agnelo Fernandes, Deputy Chairman of Goa Planning Board, Wilfred De Souza, and Commissioner of NRI affairs Eduardo Faleiro, which were however upheld by the high court. ‘ If the trend of giving Cabinet status goes unchecked, the government could appoint any politician as chairman of any corporation with Cabinet status, defeating the very intent of the 91st amendment to the Constitution,’ he contended.

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