HC: Kiran Bedi 'cannot interfere' in day-to-day affairs of elected govt

Pic courtesy/AFP

Chennai: In a setback to Kiran Bedi, the Madras High Court on Tuesday held that the Puducherry Lt Governor "cannot interfere" in the day-to-day affairs of the elected government of the Union Territory. Justice R Mahadevan pronounced the verdict on a petition by K Laksminarayanan, a Congress MLA, challenging two communications issued in January and June, 2017, by the Ministry of Home Affairs "elevating" the power of the administrator.

He also set aside two communications of the Union government elevating the power of the Lt Governor. Allowing the plea, the judge said, "The administrator cannot interfere in the day to day affairs of the government. The decision taken by the Council of Ministers and the Chief Minister is binding on the secretaries and other officials." Laksminarayanan is a legislator from the Raj Bhavan assembly constituency.

Recently, the Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy warned his 'dharna' outside Raj Nivas, for Lt Governor Kiran Bedi's approval for his government's proposals on welfare schemes and administrative matters would intensify into a "jail bharo" agitation from February 20. As his dharna entered the fifth day on Sunday, Narayanasamy said, "Our protest will continue till our demands, contained in the letter sent to the Lt Governor on February 7, are met." He has accused Bedi of not approving his government's 39 proposals for welfare schemes, including a free rice scheme, and on administrative matters. In a letter to Narayanasamy, Bedi has reacted sharply to the public protest and termed his dharna "unlawful".

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