This Article is From Jul 11, 2014

Row in Parliament Over PM Narendra Modi's Principal Secretary

Row in Parliament Over PM Narendra Modi's Principal Secretary
New Delhi: The ruling BJP today faced protests in Parliament over its controversial ordinance to legitimize the appointment of former telecom regulator Nripendra Misra as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Principal Secretary.

A bill to replace the ordinance was tabled in the Lok Sabha amid loud opposition protests about its constitutional validity.

Passing the ordinance was among the first acts of the Modi government after it took charge in May. It amended the Telecom Regulatory Authority or TRAI Act, which barred Mr Misra from taking any government post.

The ordinance has to be ratified by both houses of Parliament in this session, as it will lapse after six months. Opposition parties have accused the government of trying to pass the bill with its brute majority in the Lok Sabha, just to benefit one individual.

In the Rajya Sabha, the Congress, which is the single largest party with 68 MPs, has said it will oppose the bill.

"Our concern is that of principles. We are not against any person. When TRAI was made, the rule was that its chairman should not be given any other work. It should not be violated," said Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the government was within its rights to bring any law in the telecom regulatory authority. "We are pushing this bill based upon clear merits. We are quite confident that we will pass it in both the houses," Mr Prasad said.

The government says the law needs to be changed as TRAI is the only authority which bars its chairpersons from taking up any official assignment.

Mr Misra had already taken charge as Principal Secretary before Mr Modi was sworn in on May 26.

The Prime Minister reportedly hand-picked the 1967-batch IAS officer, who has held several important positions in the government. He was secretary in the ministries of telecom and commerce.

The 69-year-old was also Principal Secretary to Kalyan Singh when he was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh in the early 1990s.

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