Jaipur, June 18: Taking suo motu cognizance of local newspaper reports about the proposed visit of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to United States, Rajasthan High Court has issued notices to both the state and the Central governments asking them to provide justification for the visit. Treating the newspaper reports as public interest litigation (PIL), Justice S K Keshote issued notices to state's chief secretary, additional secretary (finance), and to Union of India through secretary, external affairs, asking them to furnish replies by June 30.
Ordering issue of notices, Justice Keshote yesterday questioned spending of public money on the proposed visit to New York by a team of ministers and officials led by Chief Minister to attend the international Rajasthani Sammelan, scheduled to start on July three when the state was under severe financial strain due to drought for the fourth year in a row.
The proposed visit is already mired in controversy with Central government refusing to grant permission and the state government insisting that the visit would bring investment from non-resident Rajasthanis to the desert state. Bureau Report