Finance dept impeding House autonomy: Goel

Delhi assembly's speaker Ram Niwas Goel hit out at the finance department of the administration, reiterating allegations that the department was attempting to undermine the House's financial autonomy by rejecting requests for approvals or asking them to be re-routed through the legal department.

- Alok KN Mishra

This is not the first time that the assembly, dominated by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has had a confrontation with bureaucrats who effectively report to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, who in turn reports to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government.

"Attempts are being made to undermine the autonomy of the legislative assembly secretariat's financial system, with the Delhi government's finance department at its centre. The Indian Constitution clearly stipulates the establishment of the secretariat, including financial independence, for Parliament and state legislative assemblies, with powers vested in the presiding officer," the speaker said on Friday as the state's assembly session began.