Maharashtra: No ministerial powers given to bureaucrats, says CM Eknath Shinde

CM Eknath Shinde. File Photo

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday clarified that no ministerial-level powers have been given to the secretaries except in quasi-judicial matters.

Following an order issued on August 4, the government had faced criticism that all decision-making powers have been given to the bureaucrats as the cabinet currently has only two members, CM Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis.

"All the powers are vested with the Minister, Chief Minister and Council of Ministers as before. It is completely wrong to say that all the decision-making process has been handed over to the secretaries," the CM said in a statement.

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As per the August 4 order, certain powers of ministers have been conferred on the secretaries, but these are only for the filing and hearing of quasi-judicial cases, he said.

These powers were given to the secretaries temporarily due to a Public Interest Litigation pending in the High Court, Shine added.

Even when there is a full cabinet, certain quasi-judicial powers are delegated to secretaries or other senior officials, the statement added.

Shinde has not expanded his cabinet yet though more than a month has passed after he became chief minister following the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray government.

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