Protocol 'violation' during Speaker's visit: Explanation sought from Dehradun DM

Dehradun: An explanation has been sought from Dehradun District Magistrate Savin Bansal on alleged protocol violation during Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's visit to the state recently.

The explanation was sought by Uttarakhand Secretary (protocol) Vinod Kumar Suman on June 25 after he received a complaint from the Speaker's secretariat on June 17 and also from the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.

The complaints were about the Speaker not getting the honour and courtesy to which he is entitled due to his high office and protocol violation during his visit.

Birla visited Mussoorie via Dehradun on June 12 to address a batch of promoted IAS officers under training at the prestigious Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration.

The alleged incident of protocol violation took place during that visit.

The complaint by the Speaker's secretariat spoke of not getting an appropriate reply from the DM when he was contacted telephonically to get some information related to his visit, denial of due respect and courtesy which should have been accorded to the Speaker in accordance with the dignity of his office and violation of protocol norms in general during the visit, the letter written by the protocol secretary to Bansal said.

When contacted by PTI, Suman confirmed having sought an explanation from the DM regarding the matter.

However, he refused to comment further, saying "it is still under process".