UT Assembly passes a unanimous resolution seeking curbs on powers of Lt Governor so that elected government can carry on with the business of government and governance.

Chennai: The political class in Puducherry got together and unanimously passed a resolution in the Assembly seeking amendment to UT Act that will curtail powers of the LG to interfere with the working of an elected government.

Today’s unanimously passed resolution is the culmination of a lengthy war of words and tussle over powers between the chief minister, the elected government and the Lt Governor Kiran Bedi that has affected governance in the tiny UT.

With this the standoff between chief minister V Narayanasamy of the Congress and the Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, representing the BJP led central government, took a turn for the worse.

The elected representatives took exception to the working style of the LG, who was either rejecting or opposing government decisions.

The one paragraph resolution adopted by the assembly urged the centre to amend the Union Territories Act that will give precedence to decisions taken by the elected government and does away with the need for governor’s acceptance.

An allegation against LG Kiran Bedi was that she was acting against the interests of the people by interfering with the working of the government.

The chief minister had earlier this week visited Delhi and appraised the central government about the situation arising out of the Lt Governor’s actions. At that time, Narayansamy said he hoped that there may not be any need for a resolution against the governor as was being sought by the elected representatives.

The CM and the LG had clashed over appointment and transfer of officials. And this came to a head over the transfer of Puduchery Municipal Commissioner R Chandrashekharan. Speaker had transferred him after MLAs complained against him and the CM also approved of the transfer. But Kiran Bedi cancelled the order and reinstated him.

The elected representatives were also annoyed with the alleged interference of the LG and had complained to the chief minister. She is alleged to have gone over the heads of ministers and directly interacted with officials, undermining the elected representatives.

The LG on her part insisted that she had the best interests of the state in mind and she had only tried to check wrong doings as and when she detected or suspected.