Govt. downplays row over Ordinance for Misra's appointment

The TRAI Act of 1997 prohibits its Chairman and members from taking up any job in the central or state governments after demitting office.

To circumvent this which would have barred Misra from taking up the assignment of Principal Secretary to PM, the Modi government promulgated an Ordinance amending it on Tuesday.

Attacking this decision, Congress leader Manish Tewari asked what was the “urgency” of bringing an Ordinance for his appointment when Parliament was scheduled to meet on June 4.  “Now with Parliament scheduled to meet on June 4, there was no immediacy which necessitated that the ordinance route should be taken,” he said.

Responding to a question on directives issued to ministries against appointing kin of ministers in personal staff, Naidu said certain code of conduct already exist in this regard. “It was compiled for the new ministers and circulated,” he said.