House refers finance secy issue to panel

DELHI Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel on Monday referred the matter of the non-appearance of the finance department’s principal secretary before the House despite being summoned to the Privileges Committee.

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Before lunch, the Assembly passed a resolution summoning A C Verma, principal secretary, finance, to appear before the House at 2 pm for allegedly obstructing government funds earmarked for the House.

As Verma did not turn up, the Speaker directed him to be present in the House at 5 pm or else the matter of his absence would be referred to the Privileges Committee.

Verma, however, failed to appear yet again. “This is a huge insult to the House. I refer this matter to the Privileges Committee,” Goel said.