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SC issues notice to Mulayam, Centre on chief secretary`s extension
New Delhi, Oct 31: The Supreme Court today issued notice to Uttar Pradesh government, Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and the Centre on a petition challenging the proposed move by the government to give extension to the state Chief Secretary Akhand Pratap Singh, due to retire today.
New Delhi, Oct 31: The Supreme Court today issued notice to Uttar Pradesh government, Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and the Centre on a petition challenging the proposed move by the government to give extension to the state Chief Secretary Akhand Pratap Singh, due to retire today.
A bench comprising Justice N Santosh Hegde and Justice B P Singh issued the notices to the respondents, including Singh, on a petition filed by journalist Sharat Chandra Pradhan which was mentioned by advocate Prashant Bhushan.
It was alleged in the petition that Singh, a 1967 batch IAS officer, was voted as the most corrupt officer by the UP IAS officers association in 1997 and any extension given to his tenure as chief secretary would demoralise the officers.
The petitioner said Singh was appointed as chief secretary on September 4 by the state government ignoring letters from the Union government seeking consent of the state to initiate CBI probe in corruption charges against him.
On September 17, Minister of State for Personnel in the Union government, Harin Pathak, had written a letter to the state government reminding about the earlier letters but the state intimated that it had ordered a vigilance inquiry into the allegations.
The petitioner alleged that the vigilance inquiry was closed and the Chief Minister declined to give consent for CBI investigation. The Chief Minister then wrote to the Centre seeking extension for Singh for three months.
Despite strong objections from the cabinet secretary for grant of extension, the Prime Minister gave consent to his extension, the petitioner alleged.
Bureau Report
A bench comprising Justice N Santosh Hegde and Justice B P Singh issued the notices to the respondents, including Singh, on a petition filed by journalist Sharat Chandra Pradhan which was mentioned by advocate Prashant Bhushan.
It was alleged in the petition that Singh, a 1967 batch IAS officer, was voted as the most corrupt officer by the UP IAS officers association in 1997 and any extension given to his tenure as chief secretary would demoralise the officers.
The petitioner said Singh was appointed as chief secretary on September 4 by the state government ignoring letters from the Union government seeking consent of the state to initiate CBI probe in corruption charges against him.
On September 17, Minister of State for Personnel in the Union government, Harin Pathak, had written a letter to the state government reminding about the earlier letters but the state intimated that it had ordered a vigilance inquiry into the allegations.
The petitioner alleged that the vigilance inquiry was closed and the Chief Minister declined to give consent for CBI investigation. The Chief Minister then wrote to the Centre seeking extension for Singh for three months.
Despite strong objections from the cabinet secretary for grant of extension, the Prime Minister gave consent to his extension, the petitioner alleged.
Bureau Report