Former MLA, Keishamthong assembly constituency and former secretary (Law), Ibomcha Laisom has suggested the state government for declaring the ministers of National People’s Party (NPP) as ‘ministers without portfolio’ in view of the alleged illegalities concerning their resignations recently.
A press statement signed by Ibomcha said that all the four NPP ministers were in-charge of the departments allocated to them in pursuance of rule 6(1) of the Rules of Business of the government of Manipur framed under article 166 of the constitution.
“Even though they have tendered resignation from respective cabinet portfolios, the governor has not yet accepted their resignations as the same were not recommended by the chief minister. Therefore, they are still holding their respective portfolios as the same were not re-allocated to other ministers,” it said.
“No minister including the chief minister cannot perform duties like according sanction, approval of policy programmes, plan and projects, etc. for the departments allocated to the four ministers from June 16, till the same are re-allocated to another minister in accordance with rule 6(1) of the aforesaid Rules,” it stated.
“Sanctions accorded, policy matters, etc. approved by another minister in respect of the portfolios allocated to them, if any, shall be deemed as null and void and illegal till the same is not rectified or in absence of post facto approval given by the concerned four ministers,” it further said.
It will be improper and impropriety on the part of the four ministers to draw their pay and allowances for the said period without assigning any portfolio to them from the audit point of view also, it stated.
The only legal remedy to regularise the present illegalities will be to declare them as “ministers without portfolio” by the governor on the advice of the chief minister from the date of their resignations, it added.
