Puducherry assembly passes resolution to curb Lt. Governor's powers

The Puducherry assembly, taking the government's confrontation with the Lt. Governor a notch further, on Friday passed a resolution to curtail Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi's powers.

The move, seeking amendment to the law governing Lt.Governor's powers, takes to a new high the ongoing tussle between the Congress government led by Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy and the former Indian Police Service officer.

The resolution was first moved by an AIADMK member, but later adopted as a government resolution and passed to amend the law relating the Union Territories.

The sole point of the one-paragraph resolution is to curb the powers of the Lt.Governor, who has been appointed by the National Democratic Alliance government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre.

Narayanasamy said only an elected government has the powers and Bedi's functioning in a way that took away that power is unacceptable.

The lawmakers were against Bedi's action of opposing or rejecting the government's decisions.

The resolution comes after Narayanasamy's Delhi visit last week, wherein he apprised the Centre of the situation in Puducherry due to Bedi's certain actions.

Narayanasamy also met President Pranab Mukherjee in the matter.

--IANS

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