CHANDIGARH: The
Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday issued notice to the state of
Punjab and the Union government on a plea against expansion of Punjab cabinet. According to the petitioner, the number of ministers in Captain Amrinder Singh cabinet is beyond 15%, which is against the constitutional provisions.
The matter has reached the HC in the wake of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Jagmohan Singh Bhatti.
According to the petitioner, the council of ministers in a state shall not exceed 15 per cent of the total number of the Legislative Assembly of that State.
“In the present case, it exceeds 15 per cent of the total strength of the house. The state of Punjab while appointing ministers exceeding 15 per cent of the house strength has flouted the constitutional amendment,” the petitioner has added.
The court was also informed that Punjab has a strength of 117 assembly members in the Vidhan Sabha. In view of the 91st Amendment, the number of ministers in the state could not exceed 17.
The case would now come up for further hearing on May 9.
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