HC takes exception to report of PMC commissioner's suspension

The Patna High Court today took strong exception to reports of the state suspending the Commissioner of Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) when it had put a stay on it.
A division bench of Justice V N Sinha and Justice Prabhat Kumar Jha took exception when the report of suspension of PMC Commissioner Kuldip Narayan was referred by Corporation counsel H S Himkar,
The Bench asked Additional Advocate General Rai Shivajinath about state government notification about PMC Commissioner's suspension which he could not furnish.
The bench wondered how suspension had been ordered when the court put a stay on it, without acquiring its consent.

The court posted the matter for further hearing on Monday next.
Though there was no notification or any official confirmation, but report of Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi giving his nod to a recommendation of Urban Development department, speculation prevailed throughout the day.

When the question in this regard was asked by mediapersons to the CM at Muzaffarpur, he ducked the question.
Urban Development Minister Samrat Chaudhary had recently referred about the department sending a recommendation to the CM for suspension of the PMC and the Commissioner after getting replies on six counts including failure to keep the city clean and steps to prevent outbreak of dengue.

The HC had put a stay on transfer of PMC Commissioner in view of the ongoing action against building of high rises in the capital in violation of rules. There has been reports of builders' lobby exerting pressure on the state government for removal of the Commissioner.