By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Parliamentary Secretaries have been barred from taking part in discussions in the Assembly.
Speaker AT Mondal on Wednesday ruled that since the Parliamentary Secretaries enjoy the status and rank of Ministers of State, it is not appropriate for them to take part in the discussion on motions and resolutions in the House.
“They can only give answers to the questions, motions or resolutions when they are authorized to do so”, the Speaker said.
According to the Speaker, the Parliamentary Secretaries cannot take part in the debates in the Assembly.
During the current session of the Assembly in March, the Opposition had disrupted Parliamentary Secretary Dr Celestine Lyngdoh when he was taking part in a discussion on the Governor’s Address.
Earlier in 2008 and 2009, there were Government circulars allowing the Parliamentary Secretaries to take part in the discussions in the Assembly.
The Speaker, however, said that these circulars stand revoked with his ruling.