Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy has urged Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi to resign from her post in the wake of Madras High Court’s ruling that “the Lt. Governor cannot interfere in the day to day administration of the elected government in Union Territory.”
Speaking to reporters at his residence here, Mr. Narayanasamy said that the High Court had given a “historic verdict” on a writ petition filed by the ruling Congress Legislator K. Lakshminarayanan questioning Ms. Bedi’s interference in the routine administration by elected government. The High Court had also laid down very clearly that the Lt. Governor had no powers to act independently and that she must work in tandem with the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers.
As the court had come out with a clear picture of the powers of elected government, Ms. Bedi should quit office immediately, he said. Alleging constant interference by Ms. Bedi in implementing decisions taken by the Cabinet, he said that she had deliberately put hurdles in the plan to waive off crop loans of farmers due at the cooperative banks in the U.T.
He pointed out that the government then approached the Union Home Ministry for its nod to waive off the crop loans and after getting the approval “we could implement the decision”. Mr. Narayanasamy said that the implementation of the free rice scheme was also hampered by Ms. Bedi’s hypothetical queries. The distribution of free rice would be done shortly, he added.
Listing various instances, the Chief Minister said in matter related to appointment of nurses, teachers in government schools, extending financial assistance to the students of Scheduled Caste to pursue higher education, recruitment of constables and relieving the workers of the defunct government-owned AFT Mill, the government faced several hindrances because of the negative stand taken by the incumbent Lt. Governor.
The recent judgment restricting her intervention was a big relief and would prove very positive in implementing Cabinet decisions, Mr. Narayanasamy said and added that the court had also pointed out that decisions taken by the Cabinet could be communicated to the Lt. Governor but not for her approval. Mr. Narayanasamy said that he had information that the Lt. Governor was planning to go on appeal against the verdict.
“No appeal can be preferred by Ms. Bedi as Administrator of Puducherry without the nod of the elected government,” he said. She could only go on appeal in her personal capacity and not as Lt. Governor, he added.