By Imna Longchar
Dimapur (Nagaland), Oct 12: Nagaland Chief Secretary, J Alam, on Tuesday said that the cabinet memoranda, the agenda for the cabinet meeting and the minutes of the cabinet meeting are secret documents and must not be handled by unauthorized persons and non-officials.
He pointed out that the agendas and the cabinet minutes are circulated by the Cabinet Cell under sealed cover through the office of the Cabinet Ministers and the concerned Advisors.
Alam, however, regretted that the Cabinet Memoranda, Cabinet agenda and the minutes are sometimes circulated in the social media and added that it is a serious violation of rules and is an offence under Official Secrets Act.
He therefore, has requested all cabinet ministers, advisors and heads of administrative departments to issue proper instructions to the responsible officials attached to them that the Cabinet Memoranda,Cabinet Agenda and Cabinet Minutes being handled should not be circulated through any social media like Whatsapp etc, except through official e-mail in case of urgency, and to any unauthorized persons/non- officials.
Meanwhile, Nagaland Home department in a memorandum has stated that various representations/demands/ultimatums are being published in the newspapers, as well as in other forms of media, by various organizations, on issues/matters pertaining to different departments of the state government.
According to an official bulletin, all HoDs and HoDs have been requested to make necessary arrangements to take note of such reports and take prompt steps for getting the matter/grievances looked into, and also for suitably replying to the persons/organizations concerned, and wherever necessary, for issuing press releases without delay with the approval of the competent authority concerned.
The bulletin also stated that a copy of the action taken report on every such representation/demand/ultimatum coming out in the media, may also be provided to the office of the Home Department, Political Branch.
