Bangalore, Jun 27: Chief Secretary Sudhakar Rao has issued a circular stating that the Opposition leaders in the State legislature do not enjoy the power to convene a meeting of the Government officials. 

The circular dated June 25 stated that the Opposition leaders are only given the Cabinet rank, and that they enjoy all facilities of a Cabinet rank minister. But, they do not have administrative powers. They have powers of an MLA or an MLC. It is only ministers who can ask the officials to attend meetings.

Sources said, the Opposition leaders can certainly conduct inspections and ask officials to provide information on any Government schemes. But they do not enjoy the power to summon the officials for a meeting and issue directions. “A minister can summon officials for meetings pertaining to their department, and the CM has the right to convene meeting of any department,” sources said.

Opposition leader in the Legislative Council V S Ugrappa on Friday claimed that the circular is illegal as nowhere in the rule book it is mentioned that the Opposition leaders can’t summon the officials to hold meetings.

He alleged the Government is trying to curtail the democratic rights of the Opposition leaders by issuing the circular. “As the Opposition leaders, we have to get information from the officials and tell the truth about the Government’s functioning to people. The circular, therefore, should be withdrawn immediately,” he said.