पुष्कर सिंह धामी को सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने लगाई फटकार, राजाजी टाइगर रिजर्व के निदेशक के रूप में नियुक्त करने पर पूछा सवाल

Supreme Court reprimands Pushkar Singh Dhami, questions appointment as director of Rajaji Tiger Reserve

Heads of governments cannot be expected to be "kings of olden days and we are not in the feudal era, the Supreme Court said on Wednesday, questioning Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for appointing an IFS officer as the director of Rajaji Tiger Reserve, ignoring the opinion of the state forest minister and others. However, the state government told a bench headed by Justice B R Gavai that the order appointing the Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer as the director of the tiger reserve was withdrawn on September 3.

A bench of Justices P K Mishra and K V Vishwanathan was hearing a case related to the appointment of IFS officer Rahul, former director of Corbett Tiger Reserve, as the director of Rajaji Tiger Reserve. The court observed that there was a specific noting from the first officer, which was endorsed by the deputy secretary, principal secretary and the state forest minister that Rahul should not be posted as director of Rajaji Tiger Reserve. "There is something like the public trust doctrine in this country. The heads of the executive cannot be expected to be old-fashioned kings who will do whatever he says," the bench said. "We are not in the feudal era," the bench said. "Why should the chief minister have special affection for that officer," the bench asked. "Just because he is the chief minister, can he do anything," the bench said. It also observed that departmental proceedings were pending against the officer concerned. Pointing out that the noting stated that the officer should not be posted at Rajaji Tiger Reserve, the court said "the chief minister simply ignores it". "If you disagree with the desk officer, deputy secretary, principal secretary, minister, at least it is expected that they give some thought to why they disagree with the proposal."