The Rajya Sabha Secretariat told the Delhi High Court that it takes “due precaution” in reimbursing the expenses claimed by members of the Upper House.
“There are checks and balances in the payments made to the members of Parliament. All due precautions and measures are taken so that no unnecessary payment is made,” According to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat in an affidavit filed before a bench headed by Chief Justice D Murugesan.
The affidavit was filed in a response to a court notice issued on a PIL seeking a direction that the lawmakers be not allowed reimbursement of their travel expenses more than the actual amount they spend.
The PIL, filed by B N P Singh, a retired wing commander and general secretary of civil society group Veteran’s Forum for Transparency in Public Life, alleged there was a “casual and vague approach” in granting reimbursement of travel expenses claimed by the MPs.
The Rajya Sabha Secretariat reimburses the claims “without any cross-checking” and hence tax-payers’ money was being misused, According to it.
The PIL has also sought a direction to get such reimbursements relating to TA and DA of the MPs audited by CAG.
“With regard to the prayer for audit of TA/DA claims of all members of Rajya Sabha, it is submitted that the Rajya Sabha Secretariat has a separate audit section where all the bills are audited before making payment,” mentioned in the affidavit.
It told, “The Concurrent Audit Party (CAP) of the Director-General of Audit and Central Revenue (DGACR) does the continuous audit of the payments made by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, including the TA/DA claims of the members of Rajya Sabha.”
