Hry Speaker serves notice to SP, MC Joint Commissioner for not picking up calls of MLAs

Taking serious note of the complaints of Haryana MLAs that Government officers did not pick up their phone calls, State Vidhan Sabha Speaker Gian Chand Gupta on Thursday sought an explanation from Sonepat Municipal Corporation Joint Commissioner Shambhu Rathi and Rewari SP Nazneen Bhasin.

In two days of video conference recently conducted by the Speakers with legislators, MLAs complained that Government officers did not pick their phone calls.

In his written compliant to Speaker, BJP MLA Laxman Singh Yadav from Kosli assembly seat in Rewari district said that Rewari SP Nazneen Bhasin did not pick up his phone calls. Other police officers are also not picking up his phone calls. SP should be transferred from the district.”

Congress MLA Surendra Panwar from Sonepat, in his written complaint stated that he had made several phone calls to Shambhu Rathi, Joint Commissioner of Municipal Corporation but he did not pick up his phone calls.

Shamsher Singh Gogi, Congress MLA from Assandh complained to the speaker in writing against the Assandh SDM and stated that during ongoing nationwide lockdown, flag march was carried in the district recently and SDM allowed his son to sit in the Government vehicle and violated Section-188. A copy of the letter was also sent to the Chief Secretary.

Speaker, taking the matter seriously, has sent a notice to the Rewari SP and Joint Commissioner of Sonipat Municipal Corporation. At the same time, the Speaker also sent a letter to the Chief Secretary for action against SDM. The complaints of MLAs against HCS level officers have been sent to Chief Secretary Keshani Anand Arora for action. 

Sources said that on the direction of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, orders have been issued for all the Government officers to pick up the phone calls of all the MPs and MLAs. In the order, officers have been strictly directed to ensure that public representatives are called back within two hours of their phone calls. Also, they should be respected.

If officers are in a meeting or are not picking up the phone calls due to any other reason, then SMS should be sent to them. Later, when they are free, call back should be made at the earliest. Officers must answer the calls of public representatives within two hours. SMS can be sent even if their number is not available. Mobile numbers of MP-MLAs should be saved in their mobile phones, they added.