Himachal HC reserves order on deputy CM’s plea in CPS appointment case

As many as 12 Bharatiya Janata Party’s members of legislative assembly (MLA), including Satpal Satti, challenged the appointment of CPS

The division bench of Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice BC Negi reserved its verdict on the application of the deputy chief minister, in which he justified his chief parliamentary secretary appointment as legal and requested to remove his name from the petition. The high court was hearing a petition challenging the appointment of the deputy chief minister and other CPS.

The CPS appointment case is now scheduled for hearing on November 4

The matter is now scheduled for hearing on November 4.

As many as 12 Bharatiya Janata Party’s members of legislative assembly (MLA), including Satpal Satti, challenged the appointment of CPS.

In the petition, the appointment of CPS Sanjay Awasthi from Arki assembly constituency, Sundar Singh from Kullu, Ram Kumar from Doon, Mohan Lal Brakta from Rohru, Ashish Butail from Palampur and Kishori Lal from Baijnath has been challenged. The petition seeks for orders to stop the deputy CM from participating in the cabinet meeting and to recover the additional salary received in lieu of the appointment.

Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri argued in his application that this petition has been filed by the former BJP state president, in which his appointment has been challenged by making him the respondent as the deputy CM. According to the application, deputy chief ministers have been appointed in seven states, including those with BJP in power.

He added that according to the decisions of the Supreme Court and high court, his appointment is within the law.