Proceedings of Privilege Committee against me biased, premeditated: Prakash to HC

Terming the proceedings as “malice”, advocate Vivek Chib, appearing for the Chief Secretary, submitted that the “entire process (by the Assembly) was mala fide, biased and all together premeditated.”

The counsel further contended that “the act of the committee was a violation of his fundamental right”. Chib submitted that this can be made out as, despite the court’s direction and repeated requests made by them, they have failed to provide a verbatim record and video recordings of the proceedings, where he appeared before the panel.

“Arguing without records, he (Prakash) cannot defend himself against the charges of breach of privilege,” Chib argued. The arguments, which remained inconclusive, will resume on November 27.

Prakash was served a notice by the privilege committee after receiving a complaint by the question and reference (Q&R) committee for having skipped a meeting on February 20.

Besides him, two other bureaucrats were also issued notices by the Q&R committee to examine the issue of a reply from the Department of Cooperative Society, which was found to be incomplete and unsatisfactory. The issue relates to alleged financial irregularities in the Delhi Nagrik Sahkari Bank.

The two IAS officers have also sought quashing of the notices and summons issued to them in this regard. All of them have joined the proceedings before the House panel. The Assembly has opposed the pleas by contending that the court does not have the jurisdiction to look into the committee proceedings, and that the petitions were premature at this stage.