Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], November 13 (HBTV): The High Court of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday ordered the immediate removal of six Chief Parliamentary Secretaries of the state government, along with the withdrawal of all benefits and facilities.

The division bench of Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice Bipin Singh Negi ordered the withdrawal of all facilities from all CPSs, including salaries, allowances, and privileges.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stated that the order would be discussed with the ministers of the cabinet.

'I haven’t read the order yet, but if the HC has ordered this, then it will be discussed. A discussion will be held with the ministers of the cabinet,' he said.

BJP lawyer Advocate Veerbahadur Verma stated that the court had admitted that the 2006 Act was unconstitutional and had ordered the immediate withdrawal of CPS facilities.

'10 BJP MLAs, under the leadership of Satpal Sati, had challenged the recruitment of CPSs, which was done according to an Act of 2006, in the court. The court has admitted that the 2006 Act was unconstitutional. The HC has also ordered the immediate withdrawal of the CPS facilities... If the other side decides to go to the SC, they will not get any relief there also... The Act has been repealed,' Verma told ANI.

Advocate General Anup Kumar Rattan stated that the state assembly had no power to enact the 2006 Act.

'The petition challenging CPS has been accepted by the HC, which ordered the removal of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries and Parliamentary Secretaries from their posts. All their facilities have also been repealed... The state assembly had no power to enact this Act... Individually, as well, CPS and PS will challenge this order of the High Court in the Supreme Court,' he said.

The Himachal government appointed six Congress MLAs in January 2023 to serve as Chief Parliamentary Secretaries.

The appointees included Sunder Singh Thakur from the Kullu Assembly Constituency, Mohan Lal Brakta from the Rohru Assembly Constituency in Shimla district, Ram Kumar Chaudhary from the Doon Assembly Constituency in Solan district, Ashish Butail from the Palampur Assembly Constituency, Kishori Lal from the Baijnath Assembly Constituency in Kangra district, and Sanjay Awasthi from the Arki Assembly Constituency in Solan district.

The appointment of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries was challenged in the High Court by 10 BJP MLAs and one individual petitioner, Kalpana Devi.   

(ANI)