Gov’s directives binding on state: AG
Following the uproar in the state legislative Assembly over the affidavit filed by Advocate General Darius Khambatta, stating that the governor’s order were not binding on the state, he clarified in the Bombay high court on Monday that the governor’s order concerning allocation of funds are indeed binding.
The controversy started when Mr Khambatta filed an affidavit in court in response to a petition filed by an NGO that had challenged the Maharashtra governor’s power to issue directives for allocation of funds for particular projects. The governor had directed that water from upper Wardha River be allocated to a power project set up by an IndiaBulls subsidiary, Sophia Power in the Amravati district.
In his affidavit, Mr Khambatta had stated that the governor’s directives with regards to allocation of funds for developmental expenditure “will be adhe-red to if possible, but is
not binding” on the state government. This had created an uproar in the legislature as some of the members argued that if the directives of the governor were not binding, then they would become meaningless.
Clarifying the government’s stand on Monday, Mr Khambata filed an additional affidavit in the court in which the principal secretary of water resources department, Eknath Patil stated “The state government clarifies that the Honourable Governor’s directive for allocation of funds for developmental expenditure will be binding on the government of Maharashtra to spend the funds so allocated (sic).”
Post new comment