Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel called the show-cause notices an attempt to discredit the Legislative Assembly and its officials.
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A day after the Directorate of Vigilance (DoV) issued show-cause notices to the Secretary and other officials of the Delhi Assembly, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel on Tuesday referred the matter to the House Committee of Privileges.

The notices on Monday had questioned the officials over “actively facilitating illegal engagements” of 116 fellows and associate fellows in the Delhi Assembly Research Centre. “The fact that this news was leaked to the media even before the officials concerned could receive it shows that it is another attempt by the L-G’s office to defame and discredit the Legislative Assembly and its officers. I have written to the Hon’ble Minister of Vigilance to conduct an inquiry as to how this has happened,” the Speaker said in a statement.

On July 6, the Assembly Secretariat issued an order that the engagement of these 116 people were “discontinued with immediate effect”. However, upon Mr. Goel’s intervention, the Secretariat issued a direction placing the order in “abeyance”.

Mr. Goel’s statement said, “Any attempt to stop [the officials] from carrying out their duties is a serious case of contempt of the House.” No reaction was issued by the L-G’s office on the Speaker’s decision.