In a significant move to address persistent complaints from elected representatives, the Maharashtra government has issued a strict directive to its bureaucracy, mandating the proper maintenance of records related to communications from legislators. The action comes after repeated grievances that letters from Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs) often go unanswered by various government departments.
Strict One-Month Deadline for Compliance
Through a Government Resolution (GR) issued on December 18, the state administration has ordered all departments and their subordinate offices to update their registers of MLA and MLC correspondence within one month. This directive supersedes an earlier discussion from a Privileges Committee meeting held on October 15, which had suggested a two-month timeline. The compressed deadline is seen as a clear signal of the government's urgency on this matter.
The GR explicitly instructs departments to ensure that registers recording the receipt of letters from legislators are properly maintained and updated. Crucially, these registers must clearly reflect the action taken on each piece of correspondence. Senior officers have been made responsible for monitoring compliance at the administrative level, and any shortcomings found during reviews are to be escalated to higher authorities for corrective measures.
Random Inspections by Privileges Committee from 2026
The government has announced a concrete mechanism for enforcement. According to the resolution, the state legislature's Privileges Committee will begin conducting random visits to government offices starting January 2026. The primary objective of these inspections will be to verify whether the registers are up-to-date and whether the issues raised in the letters from public representatives have been addressed in a timely manner.
These surprise checks aim to assess the on-ground implementation of government instructions and ensure that correspondence from MLAs and MLCs is handled with accountability and within a time-bound framework. The issue of unanswered letters was also a point of discussion during the recently concluded winter session of the state legislature, highlighting its political sensitivity.
A Push for Bureaucratic Accountability
The directive has been circulated widely for immediate implementation, reaching all departments in Mantralaya (the state secretariat), divisional commissioners, district collectors, and other field authorities. The move underscores the government's intent to bridge the communication gap between elected representatives and the administrative machinery.
By setting a short, one-month compliance window and announcing future inspections, the Maharashtra government is pushing its bureaucracy to move beyond mere paper compliance. The system is being geared towards ensuring that public grievances channeled through legislators receive due attention and prompt action, thereby strengthening democratic accountability and governance.
