Bedi asks Narayansamy to withdraw 'standing order'

Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi Monday asked Chief Minister V Narayanasamy to withdraw his 'standing order' cancelling a circular of the Finance Secretary on expenditure management, saying it was not in conformity with the Union Territories Act.

A day after the order was issued, Bedi in a press statement here said the circular of the Finance Secretary was well within the four corners of the statutory rules and cannot, therefore, be overridden by a standing order of the Chief Minister.

The circular issued in August had restricted delegation of the financial powers to subordinate authorities to contingent and miscellaneous expenditures only.

Apparrently irked by the order, Narayanasamy had Sunday issued the standing order, describing the restriction as "mischievous and grossly illegal and saying it was issued 'without approval of the Chief Minister who is in-charge of the Finance portfolio.'