Raj Bhavan Cites Article 316 in Response to Notice HC

BILASPUR: Citing Article 361 of the constitution the Raj Bhavan has replied to the notice issued the Bilaspur HC to Governor Anusiya for allegedly stalling the Chhattisgarh Public Service (Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes Reservation) Amendment Bill, 2022.
The Raj Bhavan stated that the court cannot issue an order to the Governor as the dignitary is not answerable to any court during his/her term of service.
Hearing two separate petitions filed against Gov Uikey, a single bench of Justice Rajni Dubey issued a notice to the Raj Bhavan on Monday. It has a reply on the write petition that claims the Governor was deliberately stalling the assent.
“The high court has asked the governor to file a reply February 24 which is the next date in the petition. The notice is served to the secretary in the office of Raj Bhavan,” a senior government official said.
The bill which was passed on December 2 last year and gives 76 per cent reservation in government jobs and educational institutions is pending before Governor Anusuiya Uikey, who refused to give her assent to it.
Raj Bhavan sources also said that another petition on the 2012 reservation bill from Chhattisgarh (which was rejected the high court in September 2022) is pending before the Supreme Court and the apex court has asked all parties to file their reply March 4. “The governor was waiting for the Supreme Court to decide on the issue,” a Raj Bhavan source said.