New Delhi: Himachal Pradesh has moved the Supreme Court against the High Court order, which quashed the appointment of six Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPS) by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government and declared the law under, which they were appointed void.
The state government, in the appeal, has sought authorisation of the appointment of six Parliamentary Secretaries and said that the High Court order was “bad in law” and sought a stay on the High Court's direction.
On November 13, the Himachal Pradesh High Court quashed the appointment of six Chief Parliamentary Secretaries by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government and declared the law under which they were appointed void.
The High Court, while quashing the appointment, had also directed that all the facilities and privileges of the six Chief Parliamentary Secretaries be withdrawn with immediate effect.
The High Court had declared the Himachal Pradesh Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointment, Salaries, Allowances, Powers, Privileges and Amenities) Act, 2006 as void. The High Court had said the officials were usurpers of public office and that all facilities extended to them be withdrawn with immediate effect.
Sukhu had appointed the six Chief Parliamentary Secretaries--Sanjay Awasthi, the MLA from the Arki Assembly constituency, Sunder Singh from Kullu, Ram Kumar from Doon, Mohan Lal Barakta from Rohru, Ashish Butail from Palampur and Kishori Lal from Baijnath--on January 8, 2023, ahead of Cabinet expansion.
