THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief minister VD Satheesan presented a White Paper on state's fiscal status before the Kerala assembly on Thursday. Soon after assuming office, the chief minister who's also holding the finance portfolio, had constituted aby expert panel led by former cabinet secretary KM Chandrasekhar to prepare a white paper on state finances.
Meanwhile opposition Left came up with a dissent note against the white paper. In a point of order raised in the House, ex finance minister KN Balagopal pointed out that the government had entrusted a three member panel to come up with the white paper.
"All the three are outside the government system. In the past white paper placed before the assembly were prepared by the finance department. It's also the precedence. However this document was prepared by keeping the finance department in the dark. Hence it has no legal sanctity," said Balagopal who further added that the government cannot hand over confidential documents of the finance department to outsiders.
Such confidential information going out of government would be anti Constitutional. Alleging major norm violation, the CPM leader said such a political document - prepared without following due procedures - should not be part of assembly documents. It would amount to major disrespect to the assembly, said the LDF leader while seeking the Speaker's ruling on the same.
