CS order reappointing MLAs as corpn heads kept in abeyance

Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi today held in abeyance the November 3 order of Chief Secretary Manoj Parida reappointing seven MLAs as chairmen of statutory undertakings of the Puducherrygovernment.

"After examining the order of the Chief Secretary, it was seen that the order was issued without approval of the Lt Governor, who is the competent authority in the Union Territory," she said in her order.

In another release, she said reappointment of the MLAs as chairmen of government sponsored corporations or companies was made by the Chief Secretary on the basis of a letter of clarification from the Home Ministry on November 2, addressed to the Secretary to Lt Governor.
 

Bedi said an examination of the file revealed that the approval of the Lt Governor, who is statutorily competent to reappoint the MLAs, had not been obtained, thus violating the orders of the union home ministry, statutory rules governing the Corporations and Business Rules of the government.

She said she had informed the Ministry in this regard.

Manoj Parida,transferred to government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, is yet to be relieved.

Principal Secretary to PWD in Delhi Government, Ashwani Kumar has been named as next Chief Secretary of Puducherry.

The MLAs reappointed are T Djeyamoorthy (Puducherry Planning Authority), V Vijeaveny (Puducherry Distillers Limited),N Dhanavelu (Puducherry Civil Supplies Corporation- PAPSCO), M N R Bhalan (Road Transport Corporation) and E Theepainthan (Slum Clearance Board) ll (all ruling Congress).

R Siva (PIPDIC) and A Geetha (Power Corporation Limited) belong to DMK.

The tenure of office of these chairmen ended in July this year and further extension was not approved by Bedi then, even as a resolution of the cabinet seeking extension of the term was presented to her.

She took the stand that there was noreport on mid term appraisal of performance of the corporations or companies and also year end review of the institutions, which were the conditions of their appointment.

The matter was placed before the Home Ministry, which had since issued an order,reappointing the legislators as heads of the statutory bodies.