Maharashtra Govt challenges HC order on Citizen Committee

The Maharashtra Government has challenged in the Supreme Court an order of the Bombay High Court setting up an interim committee the Citizen Coordination Committee in the aftermath of the November 26 terror strikes in Mumbai,contending that it is contrary to the doctrine of separation of power as defined in the Constitution.

Perusing the Maharashtra Governments appeal filed through advocate Ravindra Adsure,a Bench of Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan sought a response from the Society of Indian Law Firms,a lawyers body whose PIL led to the HC order.

On December 19,acting on the PIL,the HC had ordered setting up of a committee headed by retired apex court judge B N Srikrishna to recommend steps to prevent such terror strikes in the future. Terming the HCs order unconstitutional,the state Government contended that most of the suggested members were already part of the State Security Council set up on December 2,2008. The Government is of the opinion that working of the committee interferes with the executive function of the state.