Himachal HC Cancels Chief Parliamentary Secretary Appointments, BJP's Jairam Thakur Reacts

By A Staff Reporter — After over two years of deliberation, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has ruled to cancel the appointments of six Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPS), citing their creation as unconstitutional. The ruling has sparked varied reactions across the state, with Leader of the Opposition and BJP leader Jairam Thakur welcoming the court’s decision, which he asserts supports his longstanding argument regarding the unconstitutionality of these positions.

Thakur, who previously served as Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, pointed out that although such posts existed during his tenure, he refrained from appointing Chief Parliamentary Secretaries due to his belief in their lack of constitutional validity. "It took a lot of time, but eventually, the decision has come," Thakur commented. "We have been saying for a long time that all the appointments of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries are unconstitutional. Even during my time as CM, I knew these posts were unconstitutional, which is why we did not appoint any CPS."

The High Court’s decision mandates the immediate removal of all appointees from these CPS positions, emphasizing that these roles were established without constitutional backing. Moreover, the court indicated that the appointees should prepare to face possible legal or administrative consequences as a result of their appointments.

The ruling has generated significant discussion within the political sphere, with opposition parties viewing it as a vindication of their criticism of CPS roles, while some incumbents argue the necessity of these posts to ensure efficient legislative functioning. The judgment is seen as a significant move to uphold constitutional limits on government-appointed positions, aiming to maintain a structure free from potentially redundant or constitutionally vague posts.

This order by the Himachal Pradesh High Court underscores the ongoing debate over political appointments in state governments, and its implications may ripple into policy discussions in other regions considering similar posts.