Parl Secy ordinance faces legal hurdles

SHILLONG: Legal hurdles have hit the early nod of the Meghalaya Governor to the Ordinance on Parliamentary Secretaries approved by the State Cabinet a month ago.
An official source said on Tuesday that since a PIL in this regard is pending before the High Court, the Governor will take more time before giving his approval to the Ordinance as legal provisions will have to be examined.
It was on April 13 that the cabinet amended the Meghalaya Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointment, Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2005 and approved the Meghalaya Parliamentary Secretary (appointments, salaries, allowances and miscellaneous provisions) Ordinance 2016 to save the parliamentary secretaries from disqualification as the earlier law had equated the Parliamentary Secretaries with Ministers of state.
The Cabinet, after clearing the Ordinance, approved the deletion of clause 5 of the Meghalaya Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointment, Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2005 which had equated the rank and status of Parliamentary Secretaries to that of Ministers of State.  The Ordinance, however, is yet to get the clearance of the Governor even after a month.
Earlier, the Rules Committee of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly has also decided to amend a portion of the rule which had equated the Parliamentary Secretaries with Ministers of State.
In April, when the matter was reported in the media, Independent legislator from Jirang and Parliamentary Secretary Lamboklang Mylliem in charge Taxation resigned from the post citing legal reasons while the remaining 17 Parliamentary Secretaries continue to hold the posts.