New Delhi: In a setback to the Lt. Governor of Puducherry, Ms. Kiran Bedi the Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay at this stage the single judge order of the Madras High Court clipping her powers as Lt. Governor in the Union Territory.
A Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna, however, issued notice to the petitioner both on the main appeal as well as on the application seeking stay of the April 30 order of the High Court. Senior counsel Kapil Sibal for the original petitioner opposed the stay and said the appeal had been filed directly by-passing the Division bench. The CJI, however, said, “this court has the power to entertain the appeal”.
Solicitor general Tushar Mehta appearing for Ms. Bedi submitted that the administration of Puducherry had been severely affected for the last nine days as a consequence of the judgment. This judgment had played havoc on the administration that needs to be stayed.
Counsel for the Ministry of Home Affairs also pressed for stay of the verdict.
