No ‘free’ lawyers for bureaucrats held in corruption cases

The Asian Age.

Metros, Delhi

With this resolution, the Delhi government will not be liable to pay the officers for challenging the Assembly and its committees in courts.

Public Works Department (PWD) minister Satyendra Jain

New Delhi: The Delhi Assembly on Friday, the last day of its Monsoon Session, pass-ed a resolution which makes it mandatory for officers to pay the advocates from their own salary in cases of corruption against them.

With this resolution, the Delhi government will not be liable to pay the officers for challenging the Assembly and its committees in courts.

The resolution, tabled by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Shri Dutt Sharma, also said that in case “permission to such officers to challenge the decisions of the House, committees or Speaker is granted, then the litigation expenses should be recovered from the officer, minister or authority who gr-ants such permission.”

“There is a surprising trend among a few IAS officers in Delhi to challenge the powers, privileges and procedure of Delhi Assembly and its committees... this House condemns such actions,” said the MLA from Delhi’s Northeast constituency.

Citing the importance of the resolution, Public Works Department (PWD) minister Satyendra Jain said there were several instances where either the officers denied attending a committee meeting or they went to court when asked about their absence.

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