Patna,BiharTimes: A division bench of Justice V N Sinha and Justice Prabhat Kumar Jha of the Patna High Court on Tuesday ruled that Kuldeep Narayan would continue to function as Commissioner of the Patna Municipal Corporation till it delivered its final order in the matter.Not only that the Court also asked Kuldeep to dispose of 504 vigilance cases of construction of apartments in violation of municipal rules in Patna “without succumbing to any pressure.”

The Tuesday’s order of the Court is being interpreted in the legal circle as a setback to the state government which had on Friday suspended Kuldeep on the charge that he had failed to utilize funds for purchasing fogging machines and solid waste treatment plant, remove encroachments and demolition of illegal constructions in the city. The Court kept with it all the files relating to state government order to suspend Kuldeep which was presented before it by principal Additional Advocate General, Lalit Kishore.

Representing the state government he defended the suspension, but the bench observed that the state government had devised a new way to thwart Kuldeep Narayan’s task. The Court had directed that the Commissioner should not be transferred, so the government, this time, resorted to his suspension after
trying all measures for his transfer, the bench observed."Should we sit like spectators and not react at all?" the bench asked PAAG, adding the state government did everything very smartly.

Though the state government had on Monday notified Shirsat Kapil Ashok as new PMC Commissioner, with the HC ordering a stay on his suspension, Narayan returned to his office on Tuesday morning.