Rajasthan Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore has written to Governor Kalraj Mishra, claiming that the state government is trying to appoint MLAs to the posts of advisor to the chief minister and parliamentary secretary beyond the constitutional limit. In his letter to the governor, the BJP leader said the state government has already given six MLAs an office of profit by appointing them as advisors to the chief minister, equivalent to a cabinet or state minister. Rathore claimed that it was unconstitutional. He also claimed that there are plans to appoint a dozen parliamentary secretaries equal to the rank of cabinet and minister of state.
These appointments of advisors and parliamentary secretaries violate the constitutional norm that “the number of ministers in the government can be up to 15 per cent of the total assembly seats”, Rathore said. Rajasthan has 200 assembly seats. He alleged that the Gehlot-led Congress government in Ashoka state was intending to do so to appease the disgruntled MLAs. Rathore’s remarks came in the backdrop of the expansion of the Gehlot cabinet that included several Congress and independent MLAs, who hold ministerial posts. Was expecting, was not adjusted.
These MLAs will be accommodated through political appointments such as parliamentary secretaries and advisers, sources said on Sunday, when 15 new ministers were sworn in. “The number of ministers in the government can be up to 15 per cent of the total assembly seats. For the constitution and it (state government) is trying to appease the disgruntled legislators by appointing them as advisors and parliamentary secretaries by giving them office of profit. Which is illegal and unconstitutional.
Rathod cited Articles 164(1A), 191(1)(a) and 246 of the Constitution and a Supreme Court judgment that clearly defined the appointment of parliamentary secretaries and advisers. On the appointment of six MLAs as advisors to the chief minister, Rathore was referring to the appointment of three Congress MLAs and an equal number of independents after the cabinet expansion on Sunday. It came to power in Rajasthan and is now trying to appease the disgruntled legislators by appointing parliamentary secretaries and advisors by going beyond the limits defined in the constitution. “We demand that the governor cancel the appointment of advisors to the chief minister and force the state government not to appoint parliamentary secretaries,” Rathore said. The appointed advisors are Congress MLAs Jitendra Singh, Rajkumar Sharma and Danish Abrar, and Independent MLAs Babu Lal Nagar, Sanyam Lodha and Ramkesh Meena, as per the list of the Chief Minister’s Office.
The Congress has 108 MLAs in the 200-member assembly. It also has the support of 12 independent MLAs out of 13. With the induction of 12 new ministers and three ministers being promoted from MoS to cabinet rank, the strength of the ministry now stands at 30, which is the maximum possible for Rajasthan.
Apart from the Chief Minister, the Council of Ministers consists of 19 cabinet ministers and 10 ministers of state.
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