Entirely avoidable Pondy turf war
The ongoing turf war in Puducherry simmered and boiled over, only to get back to the usual uneasy sabre-rattling between Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and Lt Governor Kiran Bedi. This time, it was over presenting the Budget. The Rs 9,000-crore tax-free Budget that had varying grades of Bedi’s objections was presented by the CM, who also holds the finance portfolio.
It was done without her customary address. However, the daggers drawn have now been put back into their scabbards after Bedi said she will deliver the address on Friday, two days after the presentation. Bedi consented to do so after the government sent her the relevant files and a fresh invitation as per protocol.
Both the sides have been seeking refuge in the rule book and even knocked on the doors of courts to prove their point ever since Bedi assumed office in 2016. This time, Bedi’s contention was that Narayanasamy had not sent her the Annual Financial Statement (AFS) and the demand for grants for approval, saying it was required under Section 27 and 28 of the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963.
Assembly Speaker V P Sivakozhunthu, throwing his weight behind the CM, cancelled Bedi’s customary address by adopting a resolution under Section 309 of the business rules in the House, saying she did not “turn up” for the inaugural day of the session. The CM, in his reply, said her approval for the AFS was not required as it had got the clearance from the President and the home ministry. The spat had already led to a 20-day delay in the Budget process.
In light of the ongoing tension, it remains to be seen what the future will hold for Puducherry. Bedi has often been accused of functioning at the Centre’s behest. She has also been charged with overstepping her authority in ‘blocking’ welfare initiatives of the government and interfering in its day-to-day functioning. The Supreme Court last year upheld the Madras High Court’s order that she could not interfere in the government’s day-to-day activities. This administrative warfare is bound to hurt both the economy and the social fabric of the UT if it keeps popping up every other day.