The Hindu : Court directive on press briefings by officials

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 20, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Court directive on press briefings by officials

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, JAN. 19. A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court today directed the Chief Secretary to issue instructions to officers concerned not to brief the press on the ongoing departmental inquiry against the Government officers.

The Bench comprising Justice N.K. Sodhi and Justice K.K. Dinesan also ordered that in case there was any general or specific order of the State Government permitting the information to be divulged to the press, it would be open to the Government to get this order modified.

The directives were issued when the case relating to the illegal tree-felling in the Pancharakolly in North Wayanad came up. The counsel for M. Murali, former North Wayanad Divisional Forest Officer, who was facing an inquiry along with other Forest and Revenue officers sough to restrain the officers concerned from disclosing information on departmental proceedings.

He pointed out that the former Forest Secretary, Bharat Bhushan, had made a statement on a delinquent officer at a press conference.

The Bench also directed the Government to complete the inquiry against the officers before February 29 and take a decision on the inquiry report on or before March 31. The court also ordered that an affidavit in this regard be filed on or before April 5.

Rules upheld

Justice K. Balakrishnan Nair today upheld Rule 43A of the Kerala Cooperative Societies Rules providing for removal of president and other office-bearers of a cooperative society through no-confidence motion.

Dismissing a petition filed by P.V. Chacko, president of the Thiruvalla East Cooperative Bank, the court said that the section 28AA(W) of the Kerala Cooperative Societies Act authorised the State Government to prescribe rules for procedure regarding the removal of president by a no-confidence motion.

Munna murder

Justice G. Sasidharan has reserves order on an anticipatory bail petition filed by former Mannarkad MLA, P. Kumaran, in the Munna murder case.

Meanwhile, the judge granted bail to Nazeer alias Bahai Nazeer in the case relating the murder of Vidhyadharan, a DYFI activist at Thripunithura.

Proceedings stayed

A Division Bench has stayed the proceedings initiated on a contempt petition filed by a high court employee against the Kerala High Court Registrar.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala