Himachal HC quashes appointment of 6 chief parliamentary secretaries, declares Act void

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh High Court on Wednesday quashed the appointment of six chief parliamentary secretaries (CPSs) and declared the law under which the appointments were made as void.

A division bench of the High Court comprising Justices Vivek Thakur and B C Negi also directed that all the facilities and privileges of these CPSs be withdrawn with immediate effect.

The court declared the Himachal Pradesh Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointment, salaries, allowance, powers, privileges and Amendments) Act, 2006 as void.

Pronouncing the judgment, Justice Bipin Chander Negi said the posts are usurpers of public property and all facilities be withdrawn with immediate effect.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had appointed six CPSs -- Sanjay Awasthi from Arki Assembly, Sunder Singh from Kullu, Ram Kumar from Doon, Mohan Lal Barakta from Rohru, Ashish Butail from Palampur and Kishori Lal from Baijnath on January 8, 2023, ahead of cabinet expansion.