110 secretary-level bureaucrats in Mantralaya, 0 present in Maharashtra legislative assembly: Speaker; chief secretary summoned

Mumbai: Pulling up the state government over the absence of senior officials during House proceedings, state legislative assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Wednesday directed chief secretary (CS) Rajesh Aggarwal to appear in the legislature within 30 minutes.After Aggarwal came to the officers’ gallery, Narwekar asserted that the assembly will not function according to the convenience of officials and warned future violations would invite adjournment of the House for the entire day.The warning came after Opposition members objected to the absence of ministers and senior bureaucrats during a discussion under Rule 293 in the assembly despite repeated directions from panel speaker Sameer Kunawar, who then adjourned the session for 10 minutes.Narwekar said it was unacceptable that none of the 110 secretary-level bureaucrats in Mantralaya, who get salary from taxpayers’ money, were attending the legislature proceedings despite repeated directions. “There is no point holding the assembly session if no official is present to take cognisance of the MLAs demands and queries,” he said, adding that it was the responsibility of the parliamentary affairs minister to ensure that ministers and officials are present in the House.

BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil too said that it was irresponsible of officers to consistently remain absent from assembly proceedings even after they were summoned, and MLAs too were complaining of their absence. He said it was the responsibility of the CS to make sure secretaries were present in the House and taking note of the proceedings. “We, as ministers, are present, at least a few of us, and take notes and then respond to MLAs’ queries.

But it is very irresponsible of the officers. Not a single one of them is present here despite this issue being taken up repeatedly by MLAs,” he added.In his defence, parliamentary affairs minister Chandrakant Patil said that a cabinet meeting was underway and hence, officials were busy there. He also pointed out that the assembly was not running as per schedule (due to the rains), so the officials could not attend relevant discussions.But Narwekar was not convinced. “When the assembly is in session, there can be nothing more important for any official than the session. The assembly will not function and run as per the timetables of officers. So assembly proceedings must be given priority. If officials don’t show up, I will adjourn the day’s proceedings from hereon,” he warned.MLAs from across parties congratulated Narwekar for the direction to summon Aggarwal.Congress MLAs Vijay Wadettiwar and Nana Patole claimed that the absence of senior ministers and officials was an insult to the Speaker’s chair and the entire state.

Wadettiwar said during the current monsoon session, the issue of absent officials was raised 12 times and directions asking them to remain present were issued five times, but no official responded and sat in the House.NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal said in the past, when there was a discussion on the home departments, the police commissioner, director general of police and home secretary used to remain present in the assembly, but that doesn’t happen anymore.Aggarwal, an IAS officer of the 1989 batch was repatriated from the Centre back to Maharashtra on the request of the state government in October 2025. He retires this November.