Notice to Punjab on plea seeking removal of SC panel members

The Punjab and Haryana high court has issued notice to the state government on a petition seeking removal of five non-official members of the Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission.

The Punjab and Haryana high court has issued notice to the state government on a petition seeking removal of five non-official members of the Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission.

The high court has sought response by September 14 on a petition in which it was argued that the government had issued an ordinance in December 2015 for increasing the number of non-official members of the commission.

But as per provisions of article 213 of the Constitution, an ordinance issued during recess of the Vidhan Sabha lapses on expiry of six weeks from the date of re-assembling of the assembly.

Hence, the ordinance had lapsed and these appointments were illegal as budget session was held in March and their appointments were valid up to April only. The five non-official members were continuing in their posts illegally. Hence, they were required to be removed from their offices without any further delay, the petitioner had argued.

Contempt notice to CS

The HC on Friday also issued contempt notice to the Punjab chief secretary on a petition in which it was alleged that in April 2013 the high court had passed a judgment directing Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to examine feasibility of setting up some permanent regulatory bodies/mechanism which would go into the aspects of fee charged by the private schools. The court was told that the exercise was to be completed within six months but Punjab had not set up any regulatory authority or mechanism so far.