Kerala govt moves apex court against HC order quashing Rs 20 crore Nava Kerala programme
New Delhi (PTI): Kerala government on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court challenging a Kerala High Court order that set aside its decision to allocate Rs 20 crore for the Nava Kerala Citizen Response Programme.
The move came a day after the high court described the decision as a "colourable exercise of executive power" that violated the Rules of Business, delivering a setback to the ruling CPI(M).
In its appeal, the state government submitted that while exercising its Public Interest Litigation (PIL) jurisdiction, the high court has set aside a policy programme approved by the Council of Ministers of the State and further set aside consequential financial sanction and budgetary proceedings.
It said the court erred in failing to appreciate the constitutional scheme under Articles 202 to 205 of the Constitution.
Kerala government stated that the high court granted reliefs in the PIL that were not even sought, thereby transgressing the settled limits of PIL jurisdiction.
"It is submitted that the high court interfered with the government's power to implement governance and development outreach programmes and seriously prejudiced the ability of the state to take policy decisions involving public expenditure and thus disturbed the constitutional balance between the executive and judiciary," the plea said.
A high court bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V M on Tuesday held that the expenditure incurred for implementing the programme is in violation of the rules of business.
The court's order came on two pleas, one of them by Kerala Students Union (KSU) state president Aloshious Xavier, seeking to quash the order launching the programme and restrain the government from "misusing public funds for personal and political gain of the ruling party or front".
The opposition Congress has criticised the Kerala government over the matter, also known as the Nava Kerala Survey initiative, alleging that it was an attempt to channel government funds to the ruling CPI(M) and its youth wing, the DYFI, for election campaigning.
The party claimed that the survey was being conducted to further the CPI(M)'s electoral prospects.
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Delhi: Father, son held for killing 19-year-old woman in suspected honour killing
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.
The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.
The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.
"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.
On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.
Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.
"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.
Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.
During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.
The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.
Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.
Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.
A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.
Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.
"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.
