Oppn takes up cudgel against corruption in state Assembly
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, October 26 2012: Demanding an inquiry along with constituting a House Committee, six Opposition political parties of the state have charged the present Assembly Speaker Th Lokeshore as well as the former Speaker I Hemochandra with making big business out of the post of the Speaker.

Revealing the alleged financial irregularities of the incumbent Speaker and the former Speaker during a joint press conference at the office of MPP here today, Dr M Nara, Secretary of CPI, Manipur State Unit, said that Speaker Th Lokeshore had withdrawn Rs 5 lakhs from the State government's account in September last for the purpose of attending the Commonwealth Parliamentary conference in Sri Lanka, but he did not attend the said conference and used up the amount for his personal purposes.

The Assembly Secretary too had also withdrawn Rs 2.5 lakhs for attending the same conference but he never went.

Dr Nara said the state Opposition is continuously receiving series of reports on wrongdoings by the Assembly Secretariat.

He alleged that ex-Speaker I Hemochandra misused Rs 13 lakh in 2011 in publication of Assembly dairies.

The highest rate per piece of such dairy should not be more than around Rs 150.Likewise, the former Speaker also swindled another Rs 13 lakh in purchasing Assembly dairies in the current year, Dr Nara further accused.

The former Speaker and the present Speaker Lokeshore alone had also siphoned off about Rs 16 crore in purchasing different articles of the Assembly Secretariat without following tender norms.

They also sold off on auction three Bolero jeeps, six Gypsies bought two-three years before to their relatives at RS 20,000 each.

But vehicles that were purchased before one decade are now being used, he further alleged.

Several post were also created and appointed in the Assembly Secretariat in illegal manner, Dr Nara said, adding that the Cabinet decided to appoint five Assembly Translators on March 2, 2012 but the appointments were affected without any notification.

Moreover, seven Translators were appointed on contract basis and another three regular posts of the reporters were also appointed through backdoor.

A single vacant post of Under Secretary of Assembly Secretariat was filled up by one E Shantashree Devi, daughter of former vice president of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) but the name of Nevidita, wife of Speaker Lokeshore was put in the panel list.

The OBC certificate for Nevidita was obtained by cheating after certifying herself to be a daughter of a weaver and then the Secretariat affected promotion for three officers in a single day and one officer was granted voluntary retirement on the same day.

After this, one vacant post of Undersecretary was created and filled up his wife Nevidita, Dr Nara said.

Furthermore, the CPI leader pointed out that another notification for appointment of nine LDC was issued but appointed 21 individuals as LDCs in the Assembly Secretariat.

The Secretariat also appointed another 180 employees on contract basis without issuing notification.

Salaries for the 180 employees were paid by spending more than Rs 4 crore during the Financial Year 2011-2012 .

Dr Nara asked why should not the Speaker being the leader of the Assembly administration own up all the responsibilities for all the posts created in illegal manner and for all the misappropriated money.

Appealing to the state Government to set up a House Committee to probe into the entire misdeeds, he also drew the attention of the Governor to look into the whole matter to safeguard the sanctity of Assembly Secretariat.

It is said that a delegation of the state Opposition would be visiting New Delhi in November first week to hold consultations with all the national leaders of the political parties to find out ways to raise the whole issue in the Winter session of Parliament which begins November 21 .

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