ZODIN SANGA
AIZAWL, Aug 30: More than a month after Supreme Court struck down the Assam Government Act that allowed appointment of Parliamentary Secretaries, the seven Parliamentary Secretaries of Mizoram today resigned from their posts. A source from Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee said the Parliamentary Secretaries – KS Thanga, Lt Col ZS Zuala (rtd), H Zothangliana, Joseph Lalhimpuia, T T Zothansanga, K Lalrinthanga and Hmingdailova Khiangte – tendered their resignation to Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla.
The source informed that the Parliamentary Secretaries resigned at the instruction of the Chief Minister himself. Even though the resignation of Parliamentary Secretaries is yet to be made official, an order issued by Chief Minister and president of State Pradesh Congress Lal Thanhawla has made it clear. The order issued by MPCC president Lal Thanhawla, has appointed the seven Parliamentary Secretaries, along with two other Congress MLAs, as general secretaries of the party. Their designations were stated as MLAs, and not Parliamentary Secretaries.
It is learnt that Mizoram Parliamentary Secretaries are the first among the NE States’ Parliamentary Secretaries to resign after the Supreme Court’s order of July 26 that held unconstitutional The Assam Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointment, Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004 enacted by Assam Government in 2004 that allowed appointment of Parliamentary Secretaries enjoying the rank of Minister of State. The SC ruling, however, does not have any bearing on the present BJP Government in Assam as it has not appointed any Parliamentary Secretary so far, but affects the other NE States that have Parliamentary Secretaries. Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Meghalaya have appointed Parliamentary Secretaries as a matter of political convenience.
While Nagaland has 26 Parliamentary Secretaries, Arunachal Pradesh has 24, Meghalaya has 17. Manipur had 12 Parliamentary Secretaries, six of whom quit their posts after being made members of various committees. The resignation of the Mizoram Parliamentary Secretaries comes even as the main opposition party Mizo National Front was gearing up to file a petition in the court, following the apex court order. PTI adds: Former Ministers Lalrinliana Sailo and Nihar Kanti Chakma, both legislators were also appointed as general secretaries, the statement added.
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