BJP stages walkout from U'khand Assembly

Opposition BJP today staged a walkout from Uttarakhand Assembly over a debate on political appointments to high positions made allegedly without Chief Minister Harish Rawat's approval, saying it was a serious issue which deserved a discussion on the floor of the House.
Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Ajay Bhatt read out a letter dated Feb 25, 2016 written by Chief Secretary Shatrughna Singh to secretaries of different departments admitting that several appointments to political posts like chairpersons and vice chairpersons of commissions, corporations and councils were made without the Chief Minister's approval.
Terming it as a very "serious matter", Bhatt demanded a debate on the issue on the floor of the House and said it needs to be discussed threadbare as the chief minister's authority has been questioned.

"It shows there are several CMs in the state not one. Ministers and officials are bypassing the authority of the Chief Minister. It is an indication of a constitutional crisis in the state," Bhatt said on the second day of the ongoing Budget session.
BJP MLA Madan Kaushik also favoured a debate on the issue, saying it denotes that things were falling apart in the state.
"How can appointments at such levels be made without the approval of the Chief Minister in whom the authority to make these appointments is vested," Kaushik said.

Demanding that the officials who had bypassed the chief minister's authority be identified and brought to book, he said the matter was serious enough to warrant a discussion.

"The chief secretary's letter shows that some appointments were made in violation of norms," BJP MLA Banshidhar Bhagat said seeking a detailed discussion on the matter.
There was a technical dispute as to under which rule the matter should be discussed.
When Parliamentary Affairs Minister Indira Hridayesh said the concerned departments had sent their replies to the Chief Secretary, Bhatt said it was a clever reply meant to push things under the carpet.
He rose from his seat announcing that he was boycotting the House in protest and was followed by the rest of the opposition members.