RAIPUR: In an apparent setback to the Raman Singh government, the Chhattisgarh high court on Tuesday ordered to seize the powers of all parliamentary secretaries appointed by the state.
The high court observed that if the parliamentary secretaries were not appointed by the Governor then they didn't have constitutional legitimacy and should not be allowed to work in that position. The court instructed to withdraw their powers and facilities till August 23 when the final verdict would be delivered by the court.
The petitioners, senior Congress MLA Mohammed Akbar and social activist Rakesh Choubey, calling the appointment of parliamentary secretaries as illegal & unconstitutional had challenged their appointment and pleaded the court for quashing their post.
Chhattisgarh has 11 parliamentary secretaries who enjoy the status of ministers and are said to be assisting the ministers to perform their duties.
The Supreme Court previous week quashed the Parliamentary Secretaries Act of Assam declaring it as unconstitutional and said that the Article 194 did not authorise the State Legislature to create offices as the one in question.
In the recent years various petitions in different high courts have challenged the appointment of parliamentary secretaries.