Jammu, Mar 29: Assembly Tuesday witnessed pandemonium when members cutting across party lines demanded action against Principal Secretary, Health and Medical Education, RK Jerath (IAS) on the basis of allegation levelled by BJP legislator Lal Chand.
 The Speaker, M A Lone tried to restore order in the House but the members were adamant on taking action against the officer.
 Lone, however, said that a chance was required to be given to the officer to hear him as warranted under natural justice.
 The Speaker adjourned the House for the day as the members sought action against the officer.
 In the meantime, the Speaker directed the Chairman of Privilege Committee Abdul Majid Wani MLA to convene a meeting alongwith the members to look into the allegations and submit the report.
 Pursuant to the direction of the Speaker, Wani convened a meeting of the privilege committee at 2 pm but Lal Chand did not attend.
 The committee will again meet tomorrow morning at 9 am and submit the report to the Assembly by 10.00 am.
 Earlier today when the house convened, BJP MLA from Bani assembly segment Lal Chand was on his feet and started narrating how he was “insulted” and “humiliated” by the Principal Secretary for Health and Medical Education in his office chamber.
 He remarked, “I went to the office chamber of the Principal Secretary for Health and Medical Education with an application marked by the Health Minister. I sought a meeting with him to sort out an issue of my constituency but the official gave bad treatment and insulted and humiliated me. Though I disclosed my identity, yet the senior bureaucrat misbehaved and told me to get out. It seems that bureaucratic rule was prevailing in the state.”
 As soon as he completed his address, all the BJP legislators supported by some Congress, National Conference and the PDP legislators were on their feet. The members created uproar in the House, demanding initiation of action against the erring bureaucrat. They said that action was necessary in order to restore image of the MLA and stop recurrence of such incidents in future.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:00:00 IST