Bedi says need not consult Cabinet, will have a say in Budget

ASSERTING THAT the powers of a lieutenant governor of a Union territory are different from that of a state, Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi has said that she could choose to overlook the Legislature depending on circumstances, and that she would have a say in the Budget for the coming year.

Speaking to The Indian Express over the phone from Puducherry, Bedi said, “While I have the power of an administrator and I hold the responsibility of finance and public services, they (the chief minister and MLAS) only have legislative powers. Let me make it clear. The rule that we follow is clear: I may or may not consult with the Legislature, depending on how compelling are the circumstances. That allowed me to suspend a senior official after he posted a porn video on an official Whatsapp group.”

In the interview, she added that “the imbalance” in allocation of money for urban and rural areashadleftherdisturbed.“which government wants to spend money on rural cleanliness, sanitation,roadsandelectricity?also, the municipal budget is small. I am going to correct all these mistakes in the new budget.”

Bedi and Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, who heads the Congress government in the state, have had a series of run-ins since she was appointed in May last year. Last week, she scrapped an order by Narayanasamy that barred government officials from using the social media for official purposes.

File Kiran Bedi with V Narayanasamy.