Bedi rejects CM's advice to extend 7 MLAs' terms as PSU chiefs

Lt Governor Kiran Bedi has rejected the state Cabinet's recommendation to extend the tenure of seven MLAs as chairpersons of various government corporations, in what is set to aggravate the tussle between the Congress-led government and the LG office.
"No mid-term performance appraisal and year-end review reports of the corporations and the other statutory bodies were available for extending the tenure.
"Hence the Lt Governor returned the proposal sent by the chief minister recommending renewal of tenure of the seven MLAs appointed as chairmen of the corporations and statutory bodies in July last year," said a release from the lieutenant governor office today.

The release said the seven MLAs - five of the Congress and two of its ally DMK - were appointed chairmen of the government undertakings for a period of one year last July.
While granting approval for the appointment of the MLAs as PSUs' chiefs last year, Bedi had stipulated that the performance of the statutory body under the leadership of newly-appointed chairpersons should be reviewed before considering their continuance.
The LG had also stipulated that "a mid-term measurable performance appraisal of the institution should also be carried out engaging professional in the field after six months," the release said.

The release added that "the LG's secretariat received a note from chief minister containing his recommendation that the performances of chairmen were satisfactory and hence the tenure be renewed."

"The note from the chief minister was, however, without the mid-term performance appraisal and year-end review report as was required under conditions of the appointment," the release said.
It also stated that the council of ministers which had a meeting on July 14 also recommended that "the MLAs should continue to be chairpersons until further orders without any appraisal reports."
Bedi invoked the provisions of the Government of Union Territories Act 1963 and also Rules of Business of Government of Puducherry 1963 and has directed that the seven MLAs should cease to function as chairpersons from the date of completion of their tenure of one year from July last year.

The release said as "a difference of opinion between Lt governor and Council of Ministers has arisen in the matter of continuance of the seven MLAs as chairpersons of statutory bodies, the Lt governor had referred the matter to President of India for a decision through the Central government."
"The Lt Governorissued orders today directing the secretaries to the administration concerned to function as chairpersons of the undertakings pending receipt of the decision of the Central government," it added.
According to another Raj Nivas press release, the names of the seven legislators whose term as chairmen of corporations has not been extended are as follows:

S Dhanvelu (Chairman of Puducherry Agro Products and Civil Services Corporation), M N R Bhalan (Puducherry Transport Development Corporation), T Djeamurthy (Puducherry Planning Authority), E Theepainthan (Puducherry Slum Clearance Board) and V Vizeaveny (Puducherry Distilleries Limited) (all belonging to Congress).
R Siva (Pondicherry Industries Promotion Investment and Development Corporation) and Ms Geetha Anandan (Puducherry power Corporation Limited, Karaikal) (both DMK).