Speaker Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri has written to the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) to inquire into alleged protocol violation by IAS officer and former Mysuru Deputy Commissioner and that the government will take suitable action if protocol was violated.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J.C. Madhuswamy informed the Legislative Assembly about the inquiry in reply to a breach of privilege motion moved by S.R. Mahesh (JD-S) on Tuesday. The Minister said the motion moved by the member was not breach of privilege but a protocol issue.
Mr. Mahesh alleged that the officer had curtailed his privileges by placing orders for purchase of cotton bags
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Former Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar too said Mr. Mahesh’s motion would not be considered as breach of privilege and asked the Speaker to look into such issues.
On media
In another breach of privilege motion moved, Goolihatti Shekar (BJP) alleged that a Kannada daily and private television channels have reported that he would be joining the Congress and told the House he would remain in the BJP. Mr. Shekar said his constituency and other funds had been cut owing to publication of such false media reports.
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Mr. Madhuswamy said Mr. Shekar himself has informed the House that he is in the BJP and would not join the Congress. Hence, there was no question of breach of privilege.
Many petitions
Mr. Kageri said he had received many petitions from members and they were largely related to protocol issues. He said protocol guidelines have been issued to officials many times and if necessary the government can issue them again.
The speaker told the media not to indulge in “character assassination” of members of the House by publishing news reports without verifying them.