Farook questions delay in Cabinet expansion

Thursday, September 30, 2010

VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI

Memories of former Governor Ved Marwah must have haunted Chief Minister Arjun Munda again when Governor MOH Farook on Wednesday asked him to explain the reason behind delay in Cabinet expansion.

A day back, Munda in an official communiqué to Raj Bhavan wished to expand his ministry on October 8, but the Governor was reported to be not satisfied over extension of another one week for the cabinet expansion. Farook wants him to complete his Cabinet under the light of Article 164 (1) (A) of the Constitution.

In 2004, then Governor Marwah had threatened Munda to dissolve his Government as the number of ministers in his Cabinet fell short of requisite numbers --- 11 against prescribed 12 ministers, under the said Article.

Sources in the Raj Bhavan confided that Farook during 25 minute meeting with Munda wanted him to explain the reasons behind delay in Cabinet expansion.

Munda said: “I have explained reasons behind the delay. It is our belief that good works must be started on auspicious moment. The delay is not deliberate…ongoing Pitri Paksha is not seen auspicious to start an important work or assignment.”

Raj Bhavan may not like to pick quarrel with the Government on this front but as sources said, “Extending Cabinet expansion beyond October 8 will be quite unwelcome.”

Nevertheless, Munda appeared firm in his view that Cabinet expansion was a sole prerogative of the Chief Minister. “I will expand the Cabinet on the given date but it can be expanded before October 8 or after also. It depends upon situation.”

Interestingly, Raj Bhavan received the communication regarding the Cabinet expansion on Tuesday at a time when Farook was entertaining a delegation of Congress-JVM Opposition that raised objection over delay in Cabinet expansion. Asking the Governor to act under the light of Constitution, the Opposition even demanded the dismissal of the Munda Government for its failure to follow Article 164.

The Opposition repeatedly mentioned that in the year 2004 similar constitutional crisis had cropped up when Marwah had almost decided to dismiss Munda's Government after Munda made considerable delay in maintaining minimum number of ministers in his Cabinet. In a late Tuesday evening development, Raj Bhavan sources said, Farook summoned Advocate General Sohail Anwar to seek opinion over the implication of the Article.

Under the Article 164, the Chief Minister of a State is bound to retain 15 per cent of the total strength of the house or a minimum of 12 ministers in the Cabinet --- which so ever is applicable.

But constitutional experts claim that the Article does not mention any timeline or deadline under which a CM needed to act.

In 2004, Munda was forced to induct Satyanand Bhokta on August 26 in his ministry after Raj Bhavan in a late night communication to the CMO threatened to dismiss his Government.