Supreme Court issues notice to Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy Over tussle with Kiran Bedi

The Supreme Court has issued a notice to Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy over the issue of power tussle in the union territory between him and Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi.

Only recently, the Madras High Court had held that she "cannot interfere" in the day-to-day affairs of the elected government in Puducherry.

The top court had already issued notice on Kiran Bedi's petition for a stay of Madras High Court verdict which had curtailed her powers to interfere in the day-to-day administration of Puducherry, especially when an elected government was in place. However, both the parties wanted clarification saying the administration in the union territory had come to a standstill.

Read: Setback For Kiran Bedi, Madras High Court Says Lieutenant Governor Has No Powers To Interfere Or Act Independently

A vacation bench comprising Justices Indu Malhotra and MR Shah also ordered that any decision having financial implication, which could be taken in the cabinet meeting of June 7 in Puducherry, shall not be implemented till June 21.

Acting on Congress legislator K Lakshminarayanan's petition, the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court had ruled in April that in matters of finance, administration and service matters, Ms Bedi could only act on the advice of the council of ministers.

Referring to the Supreme Court judgement on the tussle between Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lt Governor Anil Baijal, the high court had said that restrictions imposed on Government of Delhi are not applicable to the Government of Puducherry.

"The administrator cannot interfere in the day-to-day affairs of the government. The decision taken by the Council of Ministers and the chief minister is binding on secretaries and other officials," it had said. 

Read: Arvind Kejriwal 'welcomes' Madras High Court's Verdict Against Lt Governor Kiran Bedi's Interference In Affairs Of Puducherry Government. Read Here