E-Paper
HC reserves verdict on Punjab govt’s plea on Suresh Kumar’s appointment
A 1983-batch IAS officer, Kumar was appointed immediately after the Congress government took charge in Punjab in March 2017. The post created for the first time in the state was stated to be equivalent to a cabinet secretary of the central government
The high court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on a plea from the Punjab government against a single-judge order that had set aside the appointment of retired IAS officer Suresh Kumar as the chief principal secretary to chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
Since July 29, the case was being taken up on daily basis on Punjab’s request.
Kumar’s appointment was quashed by a high court single-judge bench in January 2018. The bench had held that Kumar was holding the public office without authority and overriding powers were given to him without any accountability. Following the order, Kumar had resigned but rejoined after the order was stayed by the division bench on February 14, 2018, acting on a plea from the state.
The case could not be taken up for hearing between March 2020 and July 2021 due to Covid pandemic.
A 1983-batch IAS officer, Kumar was appointed immediately after the Congress government took charge in Punjab in March 2017. The post created for the first time in the state was stated to be equivalent to a cabinet secretary of the central government.
Kumar was being paid ₹2.5 lakh per month. His appointment was challenged by one Ramandeep Singh, claiming that Kumar had become a “de facto CM” and was empowered by the government to take decisions on behalf of the CM, which is illegal.
Former finance minister and Supreme Court lawyer P Chidambaram appeared for Punjab. After hearing arguments from all parties, the matter was reserved for final verdict on Wednesday by the bench of justice AG Masih and justice AK Verma.
