Friday, January 16, 2009

निर्वाचन आयुक्त ज़े क़े दत्ता की नियुक्ति अवैध - जनवरी 16, 2009

हिन्दी रूपांतरण:
पटना उच्च न्यायालय ने गुरुवार को अपने एक फैसले में राज्य के निर्वाचन आयुक्त ज़े क़े दत्ता की नियुक्ति को अवैध ठहराया है। कार्यवाहक मुख्य न्यायाधीश चंद्रमौलि कुमार प्रसाद तथा रवि रंजन प्रसाद की दो सदस्यीय पीठ ने अपने फैसले में दत्ता की नियुक्ति को गलत ठहराते हुए उनकी नियुक्ति प्रक्रिया पर सवाल उठाए।

ज्ञात हो कि दो सदस्यीय पीठ ने इस मामले की अंतिम सुनवाई 22 दिसंबर 2008 को की थी तथा अपना फैसला सुरक्षित रख लिया था।

उल्लेखनीय है कि राज्य निर्वाचन आयुक्त दत्ता की नियुक्ति राज्य सरकार द्वारा 6 जून 2006 को की गई थी। दत्ता की नियुक्ति की प्रक्रिया को गलत बताते हुए समाजिक संस्थासर्वर ऑफ सोसाइटीके सचिव सुनील कुमार तिवारी ने पिछले दिनों पटना उच्च न्यायालय में एक जनहित याचिका दायर की थी।

सुनील कुमार तिवारी के अधिवक्ता आशुतोष रंजन ने बताया कि दत्ता की नियुक्ति राज्य सरकार ने सीधे कर दी थी जबकि उनकी नियुक्ति राज्यपाल द्वारा की जानी चाहिए थी। उन्होंने कहा कि इस नियुक्ति प्रक्रिया में बिहार राज्य पंचायती राज एक्ट की धारा 123 का उल्लंघन किया गया था।

English Translation:

In a strong rebuff to the ruling Nitish Kumar government, the Patna High Court today declared the appointment of the State Election Commissioner, Mr JK Dutta, as “illegal” and restrained him from further performing his duties.
A Division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice Mr Chandramauli Kumar Prasad and Mr Justice Ravi Ranjan Prasad pronounced the judgment on a public interest litigation seeking to remove Mr Dutta from the post of SEC on the ground that his appointment was not in accordance with the law. The PIL was filed by a local citizen Mr Sunil Kumar Tiwari, secretary of “Servers of Society”, an NGO.

“The appointment of the SEC is the prerogative of the Governor but the state government interfered in his jurisdiction. It was a total violation of law”, the petitioner's counsel Mr Ashutosh Ranjan Pandey told journalists today. The counsel said Mr Dutta was appointed by the order of the chief minister but his appointment was made in the name of the Governor which was totally an illegal act.

The irregularity in the appointment of the State Election Commissioner came to light after Mr Tiwari sought information under the Right to Information Act.The complainant in his PIL had contended that only the Governor was competent to appoint the SEC, but in Mr Dutta's case, the appointment was made neither by the Governor of Bihar nor on advice given by the council of ministers to the Governor.

On 2 October last year, the court had asked the state government and the State Election Commissioner to file their respective written replies and on 22 December the court had reserved its order after hearing both sides.

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