Government to challenge high court’s order next week

THE POST CREATED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN PUNJAB WAS STATED TO BE EQUIVALENT TO A CABINET SECRETARY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government will appeal against the single-judge order of the Punjab and Haryana high court quashing appointment Suresh Kumar as principal chief secretary to chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh.

Soon after the high court quashed the appointment on Wednesday, the chief minister had asked the state’s advocate general Atul Nanda to examine the judgment.

Judgment has been reviewed and points formulated, said those privy to the matter. “There are some errors in the judgment about which we will give details in the appeal. The grounds of appeal will be finalised by Sunday. An advocate general office team is already working on it. By next week, the appeal will be filed,” an official said.

Advocate general Nanda, too, said, “We are considering the option of challenging (the order).”

However, he did not elaborate on the grounds for the challange.

Against the single-judge order, the government will have to file an appeal before the division bench of the high court.

On Wednesday, the high court had set aside the appointment of Suresh Kumar ruling that he was holding the public office without authority.

Kumar, a 1983-batch retired IAS officer was appointed immediately after the Congress government took over reins in Punjab on March 16 last year.

The post created for the first time in Punjab was stated to be equivalent to a cabinet secretary of government of India.

Kumar is being paid ₹2.5 lakh per month minus pension.