No mobile phones during cabinet meetings, orders Yogi Adityanath

All ministers will now have to leave their phones outside while a cabinet meeting or an official meeting with Adityanath is in progress.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed his ministers not to carry mobile phones to cabinet meetings. “The chief minister has asked that no mobile phone should be allowed in state cabinet meetings. I have issued a circular in this regard,” chief secretary Anoop Chandra Pandey said.

The ban on mobile phones has reportedly been put at the behest of the Chief Minister Yogi. (PTI)

A senior official, who did not wish to be named, said all the ministers would now have to deposit their mobile phones before attending cabinet meetings. “The decision has been taken to check any disturbance due to mobile phones during meetings,” the official claimed.

It may be mentioned that visitors meeting the CM at his office or residence are not allowed to carry their phones. People familiar with the developments said the decision was taken to check any unauthorised recording of meetings, espionage or the possibility of hacking of electronic devices. A senior minister, however, claimed that the chief minister was annoyed when he saw some officers were busy using mobile phones and not paying attention to the agenda being taken up at the official meeting. “Thereafter, the CM directed that all those coming to cabinet meetings should leave their mobile phones outside,” he added. “No one has so far stopped me from carrying my mobile phone as yet. I will deposit it if asked to do so,” the minister said, adding that a circular barring visitors from carrying their phones to offices of ministers in the secretariat was also being issued.

“As of now, we are not aware of any decision barring officers to take mobile phones to minister’s offices. We have been carrying mobile phones even to cabinet meetings whenever there is any discussion on agenda related to our department. If a new order is there it will be applicable to ministers and officers alike. We will not carry our mobile phone,” said an officer on condition of anonymity.