SC passes stay in contempt notice against Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari

Anushka Mansharamani

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was alleged by the Uttarakhand High Court for failing to pay the market rent of the government bungalow.

The market rent price is Rs 47 Lakh, and the bungalow was appointed to him during his tenure as the Chief Minister.

The Supreme Court of India issued a stay on the contempt notice of the allegation passed, and the three-judge bench passed the stay order and combined the matter with another pending issue.

Previously on 26th October 2020, the Supreme Court of India had stayed a similar order for contempt by the Education Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.

The contempt allegation was regarding the occupation of the government’s bungalow after the completion or resignation of his tenure.

On 3rd May 2020, the High Court has directed all the former CM’s to pay the market rent for the period on which they occupied the bungalow after the completion of the tenure.

The current Governor of Maharashtra, Bhagat Singh Koshyari, filed a petition to seek a stay on the order passed by the High Court.

The petition filed included Article 361 of the Constitution of India. Article 361 of the Constitution protects Presidents and Governors from such proceedings.

The petition stated that the market rent price was sky high as it had been calculated irrationally and the market price was determined violating the principles of natural justice and in an arbitrary and discriminative manner.

It was further stated by Bhagat Singh Koshyari that the order was passed by the High court without including him in the hearing.

Therefore, Bhagat Singh Koshyari approached the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court of India issued a stay notice on the order passed by the High Court.

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