Imphal, February 19, 2010: Whereas the service period of the present Assembly Secretary is expiring on February 28, there is no candidate among the staff of Assembly Secretariat who is eligible for the post of Secretary.

With the present Secretary Megharaj retiring on February 28, the Government is seriously considering on who would be appointed the next Assembly Secretary.

On the other hand, annual plan size of Manipur and 13 other States have not been finalised as yet.

To enable the State Governments utilise plan amounts for four months from April to July, vote of accounts should be passed in the State Assembly and for this, Assembly sessions should be convened before April, informed a source.

It is likely that Assembly sessions may be convened from March 10 to 15. As the 7th Assembly session of the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly held last month was adjourned sine die, the Assembly Secretary has the authority to convene next Assembly session.

As it is crucial to pass the votes of accounts for four months in the State Assembly, the Government is facing a difficult task of appointing a new Assembly Secretary as none of the existing Assembly Secretariat staff are eligible for the post of Secretary.

But it is the Assembly Secretary who would convene the Assembly session.

Th Megharaj and L Ibomtombi were promoted to the posts of Secretary and Deputy Secretary from being Joint Secretaries after facing a DPC in accordance to relevant rules.

With none of the staff qualified to be Secretary, either a senior IAS officer may be appointed as the Assembly Secretary on deputation or service period of the present Secretary be extended.

The third option is appointment of a Manipuri native working in the Parliament.

Out of the 60 Manipuris currently working in the Parliament, any one of them well versed in Parliamentary practices may be appointed Secretary of the Manipur Legislative Assembly provided he/she has reached the level of Joint Secretary.

But none of the Manipuris working in the Parliament have reached the level of Joint Secretary.

In the absence of a qualified candidate, service period of the present Secretary would be extended.

Such extensions have been witnessed in the States of Maharastra, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Tripura.

In the same manner, service periods of the Secretary Generals of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were extended.

After the Assembly sessions likely to be convened between March 10 and 15, the next Assembly session may be convened in the last week of June or first week of July for full budget discussion.

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