Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) ordered status quo on Election Commission‘s April 25 directive on Karnataka cadre IAS officer Mohammed Mohsin.
Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) ordered status quo on Election Commission’s April 25 directive debarring Karnataka cadre IAS officer. It also asked the state government to stay orders against Mohsin for alleged misconduct in Parliament when he was the general observer for Odisha.
However the EC’s order on April 25 does not clarify the kind of misconduct by Mohamamed Mohsin. It was said that there was misconduct in his part while adhering to the rules laid out for SPG protectees while searching PM Modi’s chopper when he was in Sambalpur, Odisha for campaigning.
Mohsin had responded to allegations against him saying that they were false. He clarified that he did not go against the EC’s directives on SPG protectees neither searched the chopper. The bench header by K.B. Suresh and C.V. Shankar passed the order responding to his application.The bench termed the initial order by EC as taken“in a most cavalier manner without application of mind”.
“A general observer has been invested with statutory powers. He is empowered to issue directions even to the Returning Officer and the District Superintendent of Police and other subordinates. In this view, without hearing the applicant no orders impeaching his integrity could have been passed by the commission. What are the facts which were taken in to consideration to pass the impugned order are neither forthcoming in the order nor have been disclosed till date,” Mr. Mohsin stated in his application.