Appointment of parliamentary secretaries in State
SHILLONG: A Double Bench of the High Court of Meghalaya on Monday slammed the State government over its inability to file counter affidavit in the case pertaining to appointment of parliamentary secretaries in the State.
Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice Ved Prakash Vaish on Monday said the State government was granted time to file affidavit on May 4 but the counter affidavit was not filed and the counsel of the State government was again praying for further time.
“In the interest of justice, another opportunity is granted but while providing that on the next date, the matter shall be proceeded further irrespective whether counter affidavit is filed or not,” the High Court order said.
The matter has been listed for hearing again after four weeks.
Later, the petitioner of the PIL, Madal Sumer, said it appears like the State government is in dilemma over the matter.
He said the appointment of parliamentary secretaries cannot find any valid place in the constitution of India and it is extra-constitutional and illegal.
“There is no law in the nation which empowers the chief minister to appoint anybody into any post or administer oath of office to anybody. With the appointment of parliamentary secretaries and administration of oath of office to all of them, the chief minister has corrupted his chair and misused his office illegally and unconstitutionally,” Sumer said.
He also held the view that the money spent on maintaining the parliamentary secretaries could have been spent on the infrastructure development including education and health care system in the State.
“The MLA’s seat held by the present parliamentary secretaries should be declared vacant and fresh election process should be initiated in all of their constituencies,” he said.