charan Tewari, M.L.A. (Congress) issued an appeal to the Ministerial Services Association not to make this a prestige issue but to direct all its memhers to tender an apo logy and join their duties. A number of such employees joined duty on December 28. . A final decision about the future of such employees was expected on the return of the Chief Minister to the Capital from Indore on December 29.

Madras

Pay Commission's Report

The report of the Pay Commission set up by the Madras Government in February, 1959, to scrutinise the pay structure of State Government servants and recommend a rational pattern for adoption is likely to be ready in January, 1960. It is expected that the three-man commission, headed by Mr. K. Ramunni Menon, a former Chief Secretary of the State, would take into consideration the recommendations of the Central Pay Commission in relation to the pay and holidays of the Union Government servants. Hindi Inscriptions On Milestones

A D. M. K. member, Mr. K. Anbazhagan

asked in the Madras State Assembly on December 16 whether the State Government had brought to the notice of the concerned authorities that so far as Tamil Nad was concerned Hindi inscriptions on milestones on the National Highways were needless and not wanted and that in many places they had been "tarred". Mr. R. Kakkan, Works Minister, replied that the inscriptions on the milestones on the National Highways were in English, Tamil and Hindi. Hindi had been given only the last place. It was true that Hindi inscriptions in some places had been erased. The Government regretted it, as they felt that people of this State should also have knowledge of Hindi which was, one of the important languages of the country. The Chief Minister, he added, had made representations to the Prime Minister that English and Tamil alone and, if not, English alone, should be used for inscribing milestones on National Highways. After that only English and Tamil were being used. Institution of Governor

Does the boycott of the Governor's ad

dress to a joint session of a State legislature amount to a breach of privilege and dignity of the House? This is a question which the Speaker of Madras Assembly, Dr. U. Krishna Rao, has to answer. Considerable importance is attached to the issue as it is first time that such a question has been raised in the history of legislatures in India.

The 15-member Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam has been boycotting the Governor's in inaugral address to the legislature for the last three years as an expression of its protest against the institution of Governor, which, according to the party, represents the domination of the North Indian authorities over the South. On December 11 Mr. S. Lazar, a Congress member, raised a question of privilege in the House on what he termed the wilful boycott by the D. M. K. of the joint session of the legislature on December 5 last when the Governor addressed it. Mr. Lazar contended that the conduct and speeches of the D. M. K. members in the legislature during the current session amounted to breach of parliamentary procedure, the provisions of the Constitution and the pri

vilege and prestige of the House. Mr. Lazar said that when D. M. K. members spoke on Governor's address, they avowed that they intentionally absented themselves in pursuance of their determination to do so according to the tenets of their party "to boycott a north Indian Governor appointed by north Indian authority." They were, therefore, guilty of acts of gross discourtsey to the Governor, of contempt of the high office of State, of the Constitution and of the priviGovernoship, his authority as head of the leges and prestige of the House.

Giving his views on the matter, at the instance of the Speaker, the Leader of the House, Mr. C. Subramaniam, said the point at issue was not merely of. boycott, but of the intention underlying it. If the intention was to create either hostility towards the Governor or to ridicule the office of the Governor, it certainly amounted to a contempt of the House since, under the Constitution, the Governor is an integral part of the legislature. The Kazhagam, he said, was objecting to the institution of the Governor not merely because the present incumbent was

from North India, but in their view, the office itself was a symbol of North Indian domination. He said the house had the jurisdiction to deal with the question once the Governor's authority was affected by any action or deed while he functioned as a vital limb of the legislature.

The D. M. K. leader, Mr. C. N. Annadurai, said the boycott was intended to impress upon the people and the framers of the Constitution "our party's disapproval of the institution of Governor, of the method of appointing the Governrs and of the manner in which public funds are spent on the institution." No ridicule, either of the Constitution or of the Governor, was ever meant or contemplated upon. In a democratic set-up, his party was entitled to agitate for an amendment to the Constitution, he denied that the Governor was an integral part of the legislature. Under the Constitution, he could not be a member of the legislature. "It is not our intention to discredit or show disrespect to the Governor", he said.

The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. V. K. Ramaswami Mudaliar (Democratic Congress), said that by no stretch of imagination could the conduct of the D. M. K. be said to be either contempt or breach of privilege of the House. Communist and Praja Socialist leaders endorsed his views.

The Speaker, after hearing the views of the House, reserved his ruling Chief Minister's Term

Mr. Sanjiva Reddi, President-elect of the Congress, said in Madras on December 19 that five years should be the maximum period for the Chief Ministership of State for any person. This, he explained, would help the "mantle" to fall upon someone else with new blood and a new spirit. A Chief Minister's job, he said, was an arduous one with enormous responsibilities.

Mysore

Pay Commission's Report

Mr. T. Mariappa, Finance Minister of Mysore, said in Bangalore on December 2 that the Government of India's decisions on the Central Pay Commission's recommendations have widened the disparity in the salary of Central and State Government em

ployees. He told the Press that the Government of India's decisions would certainly have impact on the State Government ser

vants.

The Finance Minister said the State Government the was sympathetic towards aspirations of its low paid employees and it was examining how far it could go in reducing the disparity between the Central and State employees against the background of its financial ability and the increase in cost of living. He expressed the hope that the State Government would be able to take a decision in this matter within the current financial year. If the State Government's resources were inadequate it could approach the Union Government for financial aid.

Mr. Mariappa said: "We can not shut our eyes to the hard realities of further disparity that has been created by the decision of the Government of India to increase the emoluments of their employees. This aspect was also examined by the Pay Commission and it would have been better if it had examined it fully without merely stating that such questions would come in the way of the federal government remunerating their employees. We are seriously considering what we should do now to our employees.

Replying to a question, Mr. Mariappa said that it would cost Rs. 2.5 crore to Rs. 2.75 crore if they increased the emoluments of the State Government's employees by Rs. 10.

Central Aid Sought

The Finance Minister announced in the State Assembly on December 22 that the Mysore Government has sought financial

assistance from the Government of India to revise the pay scales of its employees in the context of the recommendations of the Central Pay Commission. The Minister also said the State Government was thinking of appointing a small official committee to go into the salary question, and a decision would be taken as expeditiously as possible.

Mr. Marippa said that from the long-term point of view it would be good to have common pay scales at least in the South Indian States. For this purpose, he said, the Mysore

Government was exchanging notes with the neighbouring States.

Recruitment to State Services

Mr. T. Subramanya, Law Minister, informed the State Assembly on December 11 that as a sequal to the Mysore High Court's decision holding the existing list of Backward Class communities as arbitrary, the Government of Mysore had instructed the State Public Service Commission to stop recruitment to Government services on the basis of the existing rules regarding representation to various communities in Government employment. The Government was, however, preparing a scheme to reclassify the Backward Class list on an intelligible basis.

The Minister was replying to the debate on the Mysore Public Service Commission (Conduct of Business and Additional Functions) Bill which was later referred to a Select Committee. The Bill seeks to entrust the Public Service Commission with the task of recruiting staff to local bodies. It also empowers the Commission to conduct departmental examinations for Government servants to enable them to secure confirmation or promotion.

The Chief Minister announced in the

State Council on December 24 that Government would appoint a committee to make recommendations with regard to reservations to Backward Classes in Government service. Meanwhile, no recruitment would take place except to Class III services on the basis of merit. Jobs For Landless

Mr. Kadidal Manjappa, Revenue Minister, replying to the debate on the report of the Public Service Commission for the years 1953-54 to 1956-57, in the State Assembly

on December 22 said that he liked the idea of a member that preference should be given to people in rural areas, particularly the landless, for employment in Government service. "How we can implement it is a matter to be examined very carefully",

he added.

Umbrella Taboo

Mysore Assembly Speaker, Mr. S. R. Kanthi, upholding the objection of a mem

ber, ruled on December 15 that bringing umbrella into the Official Gallery inside the House by any person was objectionable. More Pay For Legislators

The State Assembly on December 24 adopted a non-official resolution recommending to the State Government that the monthly salaries of the legislators be raised from Rs. 150 to Rs. 250. Mr. Saran Gowda (Independent), who moved the resolution, said the increase could be treated as travelling allowance, if necessary.

The resolution was supported by two independent members and opposed by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. V. Srinivasa Shetti, and the sole Communist member, Mr. C. Narasimhan. Mr. Shetti alleged that the resolution was indirectly sponsored by the Government with the help of an independent member, and was inappropriate now. The Chief Minister, Mr. B.D. Jatti, in his reply said the Government would be neutral on the question of raising members* salaries. He denied the allegation that the Government had given its indirect support to the resolution.

P.S.P. Committee On Corruption

The Karnatak Praja Socialist Party has appointed a committee, with Mr. B.K. Puttaramiah, M.L.A., as Chairman, to inquire into inefficiency and corruption. On December 3 the inquiry committee issued a 53point questionaire, replies to which were required by January 31. Mr. M. S. Gurupadaswamy, Chairman of the Karnatak Praja Socialist Party, said the committee would tour the State to collect material regarding the prevalence of corruption, bribery and nepotism in the Congress Party and the Government of Mysore. On the basis. of information gathered by the party, a charge-sheet would be prepared against the State administration.

Manual Labour By Minister

Deputy Home Minister, Mr. B. Basavalingappa, has announced that from January he would do manual work one day every month. Stressing the importance of people recognising the value of manual labour, the Deputy Minister pointed out that in China the Prime Minister had set an example to

Government Aid For Party

The Public Works Minister, Mr. H. M. Chennabasappa, told the State Assembly at question time on December 23 that the State Government would be paying Rs. 1 lak for participating in the industrial exhibition in connection with the forthcoming Congress session in Bangalore, and Rs. 40,000 advertising Government industries in the Congress souvenir. The Minister as well as the Chief Minister justified the State Government's action on businees principles.

The Public Works Minister, however, disclosed that the Government machinery and officers had not been employed to assist the organisation of the Congress session. The Public Works Department had only made available borewell equipment and a bulldozer on payment of prescribed charges.

Orissa

Corruption Charge Against Officers

Dr. Harekrushna Mahatab, Chief Minister, told the State Assembly at question time on Dec. 7 that the State's Vigilance Department had arrested on December 2 Mr. B. G. Rao Patnaik, a member of the Indian Administrative Service, and, and a Deputy Secretary to the Government. The arrest had been made under Section 5 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The officer had been charge-sheeted.

The Chief Minister said that action was being taken at the Secretariat level by the Government against five officers-3 Gazetted and 2 non-Gazetted on charges of corrup tion as pointed out in the repor of the Orissa Government Public Funds (Utilisation) Committee relating to the Ganjam District. The five officers had been asked to submit their explanations and further action would be taken on receipt of the explanations, Dr. Mahatab added.

Taxation Inquiry

The Orissa Government has decided to set up a Taxation inquiry committee under the of chairmanship Dr. P. S. Lokanathan, Director-general of the National Council of Applied Economic Research. The Committee consists of Mr. Surendra Mahanty, M. P., Mr. Raja Krushna Bose, Mr. Banka Behary Das, Ms. B. Siwaraman and Mr. D.D. Misra. Mr. Ram Krishnaya will be its member-secretary.

Punjab

Charges Against Chief Minister

A demand for the suspension of Sardar Pratap Singh Kairon from the Chief Ministership of Punjab was made in the Lok Sabha on December 4 Mr. Feroze Gandhi asked whether it would be proper for the Chief Minister to continue in office and whether the Government was considering the possibility of suspending Mr. Kairon from the Chief Ministership on account of the strictures passed by the Sessions Judge in the Karnal Triple Murder Cases against the Punjab Government and the State Police. The Union Home Minister, Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant replied that the Government of India had no power to appoint or dismiss the Chief Minister, because of the strictures passed by the Judge. He said the Chief Minister was elected by the Congress Legislature Party and "if because of any action or development the party loses confidence in him, it is open for the party to pass a vote of no-confidence in him".

Mr. Gandhi did not agree with the Home Minister that the Union Government had no power to dismiss Mr. Kairon. He thought the President of India had the power to do Moreover, he asked if a court of law

So.