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After previous embarrassment, Uttar Pradesh govt asks DMs, divisional commissioners to furnish quality information in budget session
The information furnished to govt should bear signature of DMs, says letter from principal secy, state parliamentary affairs dept
After ministers reportedly faced embarrassment in previous sessions of the state legislature, the state government wants its officers to get their act together on the information front and has put the onus on the district magistrates and divisional commissioners for the same.
Less than a week before the UP legislature’s budget session begins on February 9, the state parliamentary affairs department has now directed the district magistrates and divisional commissioners to provide factual, high quality information, which is ‘free of doubts’, in response to queries that will be raised by lawmakers.
In the winter session, Vidhan Sabha speaker Satish Mahana had directed the parliamentary affairs minister to ensure the presence of officers concerned in the gallery of the House when questions regarding their department were raised or discussed in the House. The speaker’s directive had come after several officers were found absent from the gallery.
Now, principal secretary, state parliamentary affairs department, JP Singh has sent a letter to all the DMs and divisional commissioners to ensure compliance with the order on providing factual information.
“The information provided to the government in response to questions asked by members of the Legislative Assembly/Legislative Council during the legislative session, and on matters raised under various rules should be with the signature of the district magistrate concerned,” he said.
“It has been observed that in previous sessions, the orders were often not properly complied with. The first session of the legislative assembly for 2026 has been convened on February 9. Therefore, the parliamentary affairs department has been instructed to ensure strict compliance with the instructions issued by the state government,” he said.
‘Don’t convene committee meetings when Parliament, legislature in session’
The Uttar Pradesh parliamentary affairs department has directed all the district magistrates and divisional commissioners to not convene meetings of committees which comprise members of Parliament or the state legislature during the House session.
“If the meetings are unavoidable, they should be held only when the session of the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha or the state legislature is adjourned for three consecutive days,” said JP Singh, principal secretary, parliamentary affairs department.
Earlier, members of Parliament and the state legislature had objected to DMs or divisional commissioners convening meetings when the House was in session.
The members had also sent letters to the speakers of the Lok Sabha and the Vidhan Sabha, as well as the chairpersons of the Rajya Sabha and Vidhan Parishad, over holding meetings in their absence.
The principal secretary has directed the DM and commissioners to ensure strict compliance with state government orders not to hold meetings with committees constituted at various levels, including district/division, during the Parliament and state legislature sessions.
