TIMES NOW spoke to former Chief Justice of India VN Khare who said that the concept of multiple chief ministers for a state, or multiple Prime Ministers for the country went against the spirit of the Constitution. The former CJI said that a chief minister or a prime minister is expected to run a government with a council of ministers who are there to aide him. He also went on to say that there were provisions in the Constitution that allowed for the appointment of deputy or additional Chief minister - but a notion of having 4 'chief ministers' for one state was wrong.
"It appears to be absurd, because according to the spirit of the Constitution under Article 74 which is meant for the Central government, the provision is that there shall be a council of ministers with the Prime Minister to aide and advise the President. Analoguous, for the state, is Article 163 which provides that there shall be a council of ministers with the Chief Minister to aide and advise the Governor. There can't be two chief ministers or two Prime ministers. That goes against the spirit of the Constitution, because of the word 'The'. Of course, under the executive powers by law they can create a post of Deputy Chief Minister - they could have even made it 'Additional Chief Minister' under executive powers but under the Constitution there can be only one Chief Minister or one Prime Minister," said Khare.
An official press release from the Government of Meghalaya had stated that Dr Friday Lyngdoh, who was the deputy chief minister of the state and also the political adviser to the CM had been promoted to the rank of Chief Minister.
By Monday evening there were reports of not two but four chief ministers for the state, one sworn in by the Governor, two already holding the rank and status of chief minister, and a fourth upgraded to the same status a couple of days ago.
The first CM is the incument Chief Minster DD Lapang who is the only CM to be sworn in by the Governor after the general elections in May 2009. Most importantly, executive powers are vested only on Lapang. The man himself, clearly believes that the state has onle one chief minister.
State Congress president Friday Lyngdoh, also a legislator, has been upgraded to the status of chief minister. Incidentally Lyngdoh was already holding the status of a deputy chief minister. Though Lyngdoh has been elevated to the rank and status of a chief minister- he does not enjoy any constitutional power.
Chief Minister No 3 is Donkupar Roy, currently Chairman of the State Planning Board, and No 4 is J D Rymbai who is Chairman of Meghalaya Economic Development Council. TIMES NOW brought you the story of the bizarre political situation in Meghalaya where from one chief minister for the state there are now four heads. But now constitutional experts have rubbished the multiple CM formula calling it "absurd".
TIMES NOW spoke to former Chief Justice of India VN Khare who said that the concept of multiple chief ministers for a state, or multiple Prime Ministers for the country went against the spirit of the Constitution. The former CJI said that a chief minister or a prime minister is expected to run a government with a council of ministers who are there to aide him. He also went on to say that there were provisions in the Constitution that allowed for the appointment of deputy or additional Chief minister - but a notion of having 4 'chief ministers' for one state was wrong.
"It appears to be absurd, because according to the spirit of the Constitution under Article 74 which is meant for the Central government, the provision is that there shall be a council of ministers with the Prime Minister to aide and advise the President. Analoguous, for the state, is Article 163 which provides that there shall be a council of ministers with the Chief Minister to aide and advise the Governor. There can't be two chief ministers or two Prime ministers. That goes against the spirit of the Constitution, because of the word 'The'. Of course, under the executive powers by law they can create a post of Deputy Chief Minister - they could have even made it 'Additional Chief Minister' under executive powers but under the Constitution there can be only one Chief Minister or one Prime Minister," said Khare.
An official press release from the Government of Meghalaya had stated that Dr Friday Lyngdoh, who was the deputy chief minister of the state and also the political adviser to the CM had been promoted to the rank of Chief Minister.
By Monday evening there were reports of not two but four chief ministers for the state, one sworn in by the Governor, two already holding the rank and status of chief minister, and a fourth upgraded to the same status a couple of days ago.
The first CM is the incument Chief Minster DD Lapang who is the only CM to be sworn in by the Governor after the general elections in May 2009. Most importantly, executive powers are vested only on Lapang. The man himself, clearly believes that the state has onle one chief minister.
State Congress president Friday Lyngdoh, also a legislator, has been upgraded to the status of chief minister. Incidentally Lyngdoh was already holding the status of a deputy chief minister. Though Lyngdoh has been elevated to the rank and status of a chief minister- he does not enjoy any constitutional power.
Chief Minister No 3 is Donkupar Roy, currently Chairman of the State Planning Board, and No 4 is J D Rymbai who is Chairman of Meghalaya Economic Development Council.
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