HC dismisses Puducherry CM's writ petition filed against Kiran Bedi's decision

The Madras High Court on Friday dismissed a writ petition filed by Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy against a decision of Lt Governor Kiran Bedi and the Centre.

Narayanasamy had approached the court following the decision to disburse cash instead of free rice to ration cardholders in the Union Territory.

Dismissing the writ petition, Justice CV Karthikeyan said: "The President had concurred with Lt Governor and she is bound to implement his decision. The CM must know it."

Following the decision, Bedi thanked the Madras High Court for upholding the decision.

"We thank the Honourable High Court of Madras, Justice CV Karthikeyan for upholding the directions of GOI, MHA to Puducherry Administration to transfer money directly into bank accounts for free rice and not the way it was earlier. Which was procuring, storing, testing, distributing and checking pilferage," Bedi's tweet on Friday read.