The Delhi High Court on Thursday reserved orders on public interest litigation challenging the continuation of the Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharati, B. S. Lalli, after the expiry of his term and seeking an inquiry into financial and administrative irregularities in it.
A Division Bench of the Court comprising Chief Justice A. P. Shah and Justice S. Muralidhar reserved the orders after conclusion of arguments by counsel for Mr. Lalli, the Union Government, and the Centre for Public Interest Litigation, the petitioner in the matter.
Appearing for the Union Government, Additional Solicitor-General Parag Tripathi said the CEO’s tenure was extended following an amendment to the Prasar Bharti Act increasing the retirement age for the post from 62 years to 65 years. Counsel for Mr. Lalli, Maninder Singh, questioned the motive of the petitioner and sought dismissal of the petition. The petitioner submitted that the CEO was continuing in office contrary to the terms of his appointment and in violation of the provisions for appointment as set out in the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act, 1990.
The petitioner also accused the CEO of exercising his powers in complete disregard to the concerns of the Prasar Bharati Board about several instances of financial irregularities and non-observance of the directions of the Board.
The petitioner argued that the CEO was continuing in office illegally on the basis of a note issued by the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry by which an attempt had been made to extend his term by bypassing the statutory provisions of the Act by misinterpreting an amendment to it.
The petitioner urged the Court to order an inquiry into financial irregularities in the Prasar Bharati as a result of autocratic manner of his functioning.
