SC refuses to intervene in Puducherry turf war, disposes Kiran Bedi’s petition

PTI, Jul 12, 2019, 2:50 PM IST

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to intervene with the Madras High Court order that curbed Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi’s powers on the administrative control of the Union Territory.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi declined to intervene with the High Court ruling and disposed of the petition filed by Bedi seeking clarity on the row.

Bedi and Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy have been at loggerheads ever since she took office in May 2016. Following the stand-off, Bedi moved the Madras High Court seeking clarity on control of bureaucrats in Puducherry.

The High Court on April 30 stated that the Lt Governor “cannot interfere with the activities of the elected government”.

Bedi’s petition contended that the Chief Minister had issued a note quoting the High Court order and directed that the Chief Secretary, the Development Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Personnel) and the Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Finance) shall review all existing standing orders issued by the departments and amend them in tune with the High Court order.

On May 10, the apex court admitted Bedi’s petition which claimed that the High Court had not understood the true import of the Union Territories Act.

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