The Punjab Government employees’ Sanjha Mulazam Manch has approached Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, seeking action against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for allegedly failing to attend a meeting with employees at the last minute on August 27 and demanding that one day’s salary of the Chief Minister be deducted for his absence.In a representation to the Governor, the employees’ body alleged “negligence towards official responsibilities, administrative arbitrariness and wasteful expenditure of public funds” by the Chief Minister.The Manch said the Punjab Government had officially scheduled a meeting between the Chief Minister and representatives of the employees on August 27 at the PAP Ground in Jalandhar to discuss their long-pending demands. The meeting had been fixed through an official communication issued on August 8.However, the Chief Minister allegedly did not turn up for the meeting and, according to the employees, there was no prior intimation, substantive reason or authorised communication regarding his absence.The last-minute cancellation caused considerable inconvenience to thousands of employees and pensioners who had travelled to Jalandhar from different parts of the state, the representation said.Related: Mass leave backlash: Punjab Government issues show-cause notices to employees; unions lividThe employees also alleged that substantial public money was spent on security arrangements, stage preparations, administrative arrangements and transportation for the meeting, which ultimately did not take place.“If rules and discipline apply to employees at the lower levels, those occupying the highest positions in the government cannot be exempt from them,” the representation said, urging the Governor to take immediate action.