The high court’s order came on a writ petition filed by Puducherry Congress MLA Lakshminarayanan in 2017 questioning the LG’s powers to interfere in day-to-day administration despite the presence of a council of ministers.
Chennai: Puducherry’s Lt Governor Kiran Bedi cannot interfere with the daily functioning of the government in the Union territory, the Madras High Court said on Tuesday.
The court said that “Bedi does not have to power to call for files and give orders to the officials”, news agency IANS reported.
Kiran Bedi has been engaged in a tussle with Puducherry chief Minister V Narayanasamy since she assumed office in May 2016.
The high court’s order came on a writ petition filed by Puducherry Congress MLA Lakshminarayanan in 2017 questioning the LG’s powers to interfere in day-to-day administration despite the presence of a council of ministers.
Allowing a request by Congress legislator K Lakshminarayanan, the Madurai bench of the high court ruled that the elected government has powers over service matters and cancelled two clarification orders by the centre in 2017 on the powers of the Lieutenant Governor. The Lieutenant Governor also doesn’t have the right to seek any government documents from the Puducherry government, the high court said.
Puducherry had witnessed unprecedented protest in February this year with CM V Narayanasamy launching an indefinite dharna against alleged interference by Lt Governor Kiran Bedi.
Welcoming the HC order, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said the judgment clearly shows that all powers regarding the administration are with the democratically elected government.
Meanwhile, Kiran Bedi told India Today TV that she will take a decision after examining the judgment.
“This is a historic judgment and a victory of the people of Puducherry. Development of Puducherry was hindered for the last three years because of the arrogant attitude of the LG,” the Puducherry chief minister added.
V Narayanasamy said if the LG doesn’t follow the court order, a contempt petition will be filed against her.
He had earlier accused Kiran Bedi of working on orders of the Centre to disrupt the functioning of his government.
“She has no power at all, she has to only be a post office and sign papers which have been sent by the council of ministers. She has no right to touch cabinet decisions…she is vetoing decisions. She is being encouraged by the PM to create problems for our government,” he had said.
Kiran Bedi had replied, “Sad to see when a CM sends a letter to Lt Governor and within a week demands a reply by force of a ‘dharna’/ blockade of Raj Nivas. Also makes unfounded allegations, misleading people in Puducherry.”
She denied all allegations levelled against her and claimed that she had been functioning in terms of the powers conferred on her under the Government of Union Territories Act of 1963.
Trouble began when the former IPS officer created a WhatsApp group and started giving orders to the police. She regularly inspected government projects too.
She also took on the Puducherry assembly speaker by swearing in three BJP candidates as legislators nominated by the centre. The speaker had refused to let them in the assembly until the Supreme Court approved her action, NDTV reported.
However, Kiran Bedi has denied these allegations, saying she goes by the rule book and that she will not be a “rubber stamp” Lieutenant Governor, the report said.