PIL challenges appointment of UP cabinet secretary

Lucknow, Jan 4 (UNI) A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) today challenged bofore the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court the appointment of Uttar Pradesh cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh.

The bench will hear the petition tomorrow.

The PIL, which prays for the nullification of the May 13, 2007 appointment of Mr Singh, has been filed by a lawyer, Shivprakash Shukla.

Referring to the provision in law, the PIL states that his appointment was ultra vires under the Indian Administrative Service Cadre Rules and Section 312 of the Constitution.

Besides, it also mentions that Mr Singh was not an IAS officer and designating him on such a high bureaucratic position as cabinet secretary was a breach of law.

It states that the state government was not competent to amend the rules.

The PIL further claimed that Mr Singh was given the status of the cabinet secretary by making him the State Planning Commission vice chairman, which was in violation of norms.

The petition has made Mr Singh, the central and state governments as opposite parties.

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