HC sets aside appointment of Punjab chief principal secretary Suresh Kumar

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday set aside the appointment of Suresh Kumar, chief principal secretary, Punjab.

The court of Justice Rajan Gupta said he was holding the post in violation of Article 166(3) of the Constitution.

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The appointment had come under judicial scanner after a petition was filed by advocate Ramandeep Singh through counsel HS Brar. The appointment was challenged on the grounds that it was against the Constitutional scheme and accepted norms.

Referring to the appointment letter laying down terms and conditions, Brar had asserted the tenure of the respondent (Suresh Kumar) was made co-terminus with the government.

To a question on the High Court setting aside the appointment of retired IAS officer Suresh Kumar as Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's principal secretary, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal told the media in Delhi that he would have to study the judgement before commenting on it.

“We want to study the order. If there is a legal defence, I think we should defend him,” he said, adding that the officer was good and honest.

The 1983-batch officer is known to speak his mind while talking with top-political executives. He was Principal Secretary to Capt Amarinder Singh during his earlier tenure as Chief Minister from 2002 to 2007.

Having handled all top portfolios in the state like irrigation, power and Additional Chief Secretary (Development), he is well versed in running the administration.

When Parkash Singh Badal was elected Chief Minister in 2007, he had retained Kumar in the important portfolio of irrigation and power.

Suresh Kumar retired as Additional Chief Secretary (Development) in April 2016. — With agency inputs