:: Kolkata

Security breach at Assembly

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT

Kolkata

Aug. 13: In a serious breach of security, an outsider, Bichitra Sarkar, managed to enter the Assembly on Wednesday and sit on the Opposition benches in the House for some time before a Congress MLA discovered him. On inquiry, Speaker Hashim Abdul Halim found out that he was a villager from Malda who had come to the Assembly with a valid visitor’s pass issued by CPI(M) MLA Khagen Murmu. After questioning him, Mr Halim realised that Bichitra was innocent and had made a genuine mistake in entering the prohibited area. The Speaker later allowed him to leave. However, he instructed the Assembly secretary to order an inquiry into the incident.

It was at around 12.30 pm when Bichitra entered the House and sat on the Congress bench on the left to the Speaker’s chair. One Congress MLA spotted him and informed the Speaker. Bichitra was immediately called out by the marshal. After a while, the Speaker told the House about the incident and asked the marshal to present Bichitra before the House.

When inquired about the incident Bichitra said, "I have come from Krishnapur village in Malda. I entered the House by mistake. I am sorry. Please pardon me," he said. The Speaker asked the marshal to detain him till the proceeding of the House was over for the day.

The Speaker then reprimanded Mr Murmu for the incident and restrained him from issuing visitor passes for the first 15 days of the next session of the state Assembly.

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Panel on teacher disputes cleared

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT

Kolkata

Aug. 13: The state Assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed the West Bengal Administrative (Adjudication of School Disputes) Commission Bill 2008. According to the provision of the Bill, a commission would be set up to resolve disputes involving teachers and the non-teaching staff expeditiously.

State school education minister Partha De said, "A commission, namely the West Bengal Administrative (Adjudication of School Disputes) Commission will be constituted. The chairperson of the commission will be a high court judge and will be appointed by the governor in consultation with the Chief Justice of the high court." The government will set up the infrastructure for the panel soon.

A large number of cases involving teachers and the non-teaching staff are still pending which prompted the state government to think about the commission. "Since 2003, the state government was holding discussion about the matter with the Centre," Mr De added.