The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed appeals filed by the Centre and Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi challenging a Madras High Court order that had curbed her powers, ANI reported.
A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi disposed of the appeals, and said Bedi may approach the division bench of the Madras High Court against the earlier interim order that had curtailed her authority to act independently of the elected government.
The Centre and Bedi had filed appeals seeking to maintain the status quo that existed before the Madras High Court order. The Madurai bench of the High Court had ruled in April that Bedi does not have the powers to interfere or act independently in the day-to-day affairs of the elected government. In matters of finance, administration and service matters, the High Court had said that Bedi could only act on the advice of the council of ministers.
Bedi said she was yet to read the Supreme Court’s orders. The lieutenant governor said the interests of people in Puducherry were her top priority.
Chief Minister V Narayanasamy called the Supreme Court’s decision a “historic verdict”. “Heartfelt thanks to Supreme Court for having reaffirmed faith in democracy.”
During a hearing on June 21, the Supreme Court had extended its earlier order, which barred the Puducherry government from implementing any Cabinet decisions that have financial implications.
The Madras High Court had passed the order in April on a petition filed by Congress leader K Lakshminarayanan, who alleged that Bedi was running a “parallel government” in Puducherry.
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