By IANS,
Chandigarh: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal must be sacked as he is not likely to be elected to the assembly within the stipulated six-month time frame, Congress legislator Sukhpal Singh Khaira demanded Thursday.
In a letter to Governor S.F. Rodrigues Thursday, Khaira pointed out that Badal had failed to fulfill the constitutional requirement of getting elected to the state assembly within six months of being appointed as deputy chief minister in January.
Badal, son of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, was sworn in as deputy chief minister Jan 21 this year with a lot of pomp and show in Amritsar city, which cost the exchequer millions of rupees.
He has to get elected to the state assembly by July 20 but this is unlikely to happen now as the Election Commission has not scheduled any by-election in the state by that date.
Embarrassed by the turn of events, Badal junior has gone on record to state that he would resign from the Punjab government and seek election to the assembly.
“Due to certain unavoidable reasons, I was unable to seek election within the stipulated time,” Sukhbir Badal said in Jalandhar Wednesday.
But Khaira questioned Badal’s continuance in the government.
“His continuance as deputy chief minister is without any accountability since he is not an elected member of the Vidhan Sabha and therefore not answerable to the house.
“Although his elevation as deputy chief minister was also a back door entry, at least he had the cover of Article 164 of the constitution. Now that he has himself admitted of not being able to get elected within the stipulated six months, it calls for his immediate resignation,” Khaira said in the letter to the governor.
“In case he does not tender his resignation immediately, I would urge your excellency to intervene in the matter and remove him from the council of ministers. The Congress party is of the opinion that all orders passed by him from now onwards would be illegitimate and unconstitutional in nature. It calls upon the executors of law not to adhere to his orders on officials files,” Khaira added.
The Congress legislator said that Badal junior had no right to draw the salary and perks of a minister.