Puducherry to move court to settle CM-LG power battle

The Puducherry Government plans to approach the courts to settle the issue of powers of the chief minister of the Union Territory vis-avis the Lt Governor, giving a new twist to the raging battle of power between incumbent Chief Minister M V. Narayanasamy and Lt Governor Kiran Bedi.

Sources said the government may approach Madras High Court on the lines of a similar action taken by the AAP government in Delhi in the battle between Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, before he quit last year. If the HC does not rule in its favour, then the Union Territory with State Assembly may approach the Supreme Court, the sources said.

Narayanasamy, who has met President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh earlier and complained to them about Bedi’s “overreach”, says he plans to meet Modi again and discuss the issue with him.

“I will meet the Prime Minister and tell him about her activities,” he said.

Contending that the Constitutional provision in Art 239, 239(A) and 240 provides the road map for governance of the Union Territory of Puducherry, under which the Governor has no role in the day-to-day administration of the government, Narayanasamy said that Law and Order and Services of the government rest with the elected government in Puducherry. In the National Capital Territory of Delhi, these issues lie with the Government of India and the Home Ministry. — IANS