Dimapur, July 5 (MExN): The People for Democratic Rights (PDR) has questioned the Finance Department, Government of Nagaland regarding the “swearing-in ceremony of the 13th NLA held on 07/03/2018” and demanded “public clarification” in this matter.
A press release issued by PDR Acting Chairman & Convenor Search Committee Ihoto Shohe stated that “the Expenditure ‘A’ Branch of Finance Department, Government of Nagaland has issued Drawal Authority No 03 of 2018-19 under Demand No 26 – Civil Secretariat vide NO:FIN/EXA/DA/GAB/2018-19/TO-200 dated April 12, 2018 an amount of Rs 25, 02, 000/- for swearing-in ceremony of the 13th NLA held on 07/03/2018.”
A copy of the Drawal Authority (DA) available with the People for Democratic Rights, mentions that the DA was valid till 20 April 2018. The DA was issued in favour of the Civil Secretariat, the release mentioned.
Stating that it is in the knowledge of all that the swearing-in ceremony to the 13th NLA was held at Kohima Local Ground on March 8, 2018 as a “public swearing-in ceremony” and witnessed by the public unlike earlier swearing-in ceremonies held at the Raj Bhavan, Kohima, the PDR has demanded the Finance Department to “clarify publicly as to whether there was two swearing in ceremonies on March 7 and 8, 2018, otherwise, if it is of March 8 2018 swearing-in then the Finance Department should clarify whether there has been another DA issued.”
“The DA issued becomes questionable since it involves public money,” it further added.
The PDR has also questioned the Civil Secretariat as to where and what kind of swearing in ceremony to the 13th NLA was held on March 7 and the DA in that regard was duly acknowledged and accordingly drawn.
In this view, the People for Democratic Rights have also set up a Search Committee headed by Ihoto Shohe, Advisor to PDR as the Convenor to select a new Chairman (formerly known as convenor) of PDR since the incumbent Convenor, Hukato Zhimo has requested PDR to relieve him from the post citing personal problems and the PDR has accordingly accepted his request.
