Sir, I rise to support the new article 79-A moved by the Chairman of the Drafting Committee. I recognise the necessity of a separate staff for the Parliament, but there is one thing which is proposed to be done which I do not like. Questions relating to appointment, promotions and other conditions of service have been left to be determined by Parliament. The amendment which I wanted to move, but did not, suggested that it should be clearly laid down in the Constitution that all questions relating to appointment, in fact all appointments, must be made by the Federal Public Service Commission and not by the Speaker or the Chairman of the upper House. Having due regard to the facts of our political life, when there is hardly a ministry in the provinces which is not being condemned for patronage, for undue favour, for provincialism, it is not safe to vest this power or leave it in a nebulous state or to ask the Parliament to regulate these things. The Parliament’s power must be circumscribed in this sphere; and if we want that the position of the Speaker should be above suspicion it is necessary that no patronage should be vested in his hands. We want a separate staff not just for the sake of dignity; simply because other Ministers have got their separate secretariat, therefore the Speaker must also have a secretariat so that his position and dignity may be in line with that of the other Ministers. We want this because it is necessity; but there is no reason why the power of appointment, promotion and disciplinary matters relating to the series should be let in the hands of the Parliament, which will vest these powers in the hands of the Speaker. Sir, I have nothing more to say.
