IMPHAL, February 7: The Imphal Bench of the Gauhati High Court has extended the date for the state government to reply to the show cause notice of a Public Interest Litigation regarding its appointment of MLAs as Parliamentary Secretaries, informed a source.
According to reports received by the IFP, Dr Khomdon Singh Lisam had filed a PIL case against the appointment of five MLAs as Parliamentary Secretaries on November 7, 2012, which was admitted by the court the same day.
The first hearing for the said case was held on January 17, 2013, during which, the court had issued a Show Cause Notice asking the state government to provide reasons for the appointment of five MLAs as Parliamentary Secretaries before February 7, which happened to be today.
It is said that in reply to the show cause notice, the Counsel standing for the state government appealed to the Court that the reply to the show cause notice will be submitted to the Court within three weeks from today (February 7) by February 25, which the Court approved.
It may be mentioned that the PIL was filed challenging the appointment of the MLAs as Parliamentary Secretaries on the ground that it violates the Article 164 of the Indian Constitution and that the oath taking and Salary and Misc rule of the appointment are unconstitutional.
The five MLAs appointed as Parliamentary Secretaries are Keisham Meghachandra, Mairenbam Prithiviraj, Victor Keishing, Vungzalian Valte and Md Amin Shah.
