Narayan to continue as PMC boss: HC

PATNA: The Patna high court on Tuesday said that the stay on PMC commissioner Kuldip Narayan’s suspension would continue till the time the court delivered its final order in the matter. A division bench of Justice V N Sinha and Justice Prabhat Kumar Jha ruled that Narayan will continue to function as PMC commissioner.
The court also told the commissioner to dispose of 504 vigilance cases of construction of apartments in violation of municipal rules in the capital “without succumbing to any pressure”.
On Friday, the state government had suspended Narayan for his alleged failure to utilize funds for purchasing fogging machines and solid waste treatment plant, remove encroachments and demolition of illegal constructions in the city. The urban development and housing department had sent a recommendation to the chief minister against Narayan after finding “unsatisfactory” his replies to the charges of his failure to keep the city clean.
The court kept with it the entire file relating to state government order to suspend PMC commissioner which was presented before it by principal additional advocate general Lalit Kishore.
The high court had on Monday put a stay on his suspension order and criticized the state government for violating court orders.
On Tuesday, Kishore, representing the state government, defended the suspension, but the bench observed that the state government had devised a new way to thwart Narayan’s task. The court had directed that Narayan should not be transferred, so the government, this time, resorted to his suspension after trying all measures for his transfer, observed the bench.
“Should we sit like spectators and not react at all?” the bench asked PAAG, adding the state government did everything very smartly.
Though the state government had on Monday notified Shirsat Kapil Ashok as the PMC commissioner, with the HC ordering a stay on his suspension on Monday, Narayan returned to his office on Tuesday morning.