Parliamentary Secretary to the Chief Minister, K. Lakshminarayanan, has served a notice on Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi and five senior officials, including Chief Secretary Ashwani Kumar, accusing them of committing contempt of court by “blocking” Cabinet decisions, violating a Madras High Court order. He alleged that they had shown “disobedience” to the court order directing the Administrator (Lt Governor) and Chief Minister to work in unison to promote cooperative federalism.
In his notice, Mr. Lakshminarayanan stated that Ms. Bedi and the officers showed “utter disregard and disrespect to the judgement of High Court and have wilfully committed grave disobedience to the judgement.”
Citing the order by the Division Bench of the Madras High Court on March 11, 2020, the Parliamentary Secretary said the administrator has to act on the aid and advice of the council of ministers in respect to all matters on which the Legislative Assembly has powers to make laws. The Lt Governor could refer subjects in which there were differences of opinion with the council of ministers, to the President.
The court had observed that the Lt Governor, on her own, cannot outright reject a proposal or direct the authorities to act otherwise, he said citing the order. Mr. Lakshminarayanan said the court had made it clear that the Lt Governor could interact with officials only in respect of subjects having a difference of opinion, with the aid and advice of the council of ministers.
“In spite of the judgement, you have been blocking implementation of several schemes, decisions of the cabinet, neither implementing nor referring to the President, repeatedly resorting to returning the files with wilful queries and other tactics,” he said. He listed 30 subjects including “unilateral appointment of a committee and closure of AFT mill,” “insisting cash transfers even during pandemic,” and “interference in the manner of distribution of FCI rice,” in which the Lt Governor had, according to him, shown disrespect to the court order.
Mr. Lakshminarayan has warned the Lt Governor that contempt proceedings would be initiated against her if corrective measures were not taken.
Apart from the Lt Governor and Chief Secretary, notices were served to the OSD to the Lt Governor, G. Theva Neethi Dhas, Secretaries K. Mahesh, Purva Garg and Senior Superintendent of Police Rahul Alwal.
