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The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a PIL challenging the practice of appointing Deputy Chief Ministers in States, saying the post does not breach the constitutional provisions.
A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra found that the appointment of a deputy Chief Minister has no bearing in the constitutional sense as the label does not provide any extra perks. It said the minister was a minister first and that the post of deputy chief minister was "only a label." The post of deputy chief minister may not be defined under the Constitution, but there is no illegality in appointing senior leaders of the ruling party or a coalition of parties as deputy chief ministers, said the bench. "The appointment of deputy chief ministers is a practice followed in some states to give a little more importance to senior leaders in the party or coalition of parties in power...it's not unconstitutional," it opined. The top court rejected the PIL filed by the Delhi-based Public Political Party, which argued that states are setting the wrong example by appointing deputy chief ministers, which was done without any foundation in the Constitution. The lawyer said that there is no such officer stipulated in the Constitution, and such appointments also breach the rule of equality in the council of ministers. (ANI)
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