Naidu cracks down on Cabinet secret leaks

Amaravati: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu took a tough line on administrative discipline during Friday’s Cabinet meeting, sharply questioning ministers and officials over lapses in confidentiality and delays in sharing the Cabinet agenda.

The issue surfaced right at the start. Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar flagged that ministers had not received the agenda. That triggered an immediate response from the Chief Minister. Naidu turned to Chief Secretary G Sai Prasad and sought an explanation. Why was the agenda not circulated? What caused the delay?

The Chief Secretary cited past leaks. He said the agenda was not shared in advance for that reason and had instead been uploaded to tablets on the morning of the meeting. But ministers pushed back. Several said they had not received it, even on their devices. That did not go down well with the Chief Minister.

Naidu expressed strong displeasure and said such lapses reflect poor coordination and a lack of responsibility. He made it clear that the system can’t function this way. He also flagged a recurring issue. Some secretaries, he said, have been skipping key Assembly sessions and sending junior officials in their place. That, he noted, has created avoidable confusion and delays. “Such practices will not be tolerated,” he warned.

The Chief Minister stressed that Cabinet agenda papers must reach ministers in advance. Only then can they study proposals, raise questions and make informed decisions during meetings.

He then turned to the sensitive issue of leaks.

Naidu reminded ministers that Cabinet documents and the Budget are strictly confidential until formally presented in the Assembly. Any breach, he said, is a serious violation of responsibility. Drawing from political history, he cited former chief minister NT Rama Rao. When a budget was leaked during NTR’s tenure, all ministers resigned. Naidu also referred to instances where ministers stepped down after administrative failures, including exam paper leaks and major accidents at the national level. At the same time, Naidu rejected the argument that fear of leaks should delay agenda circulation.

The Chief Minister said modern systems can track any document leak back to a specific device or user. If someone shares the agenda outside, it can be traced, quickly and accurately. “Use technology. Fix responsibility,” he told officials. Naidu directed that Cabinet agendas be circulated at least a day in advance, in line with standard practice at the Centre. He said this would improve decision-making and reduce confusion during meetings. He also made it clear that both ministers and officials share responsibility for maintaining confidentiality.